Seven Days of Seduction
by PAN TRUNKS LOVER
Summary: Sakura, Ino, Tenten and Hinata are about to experience the biggest life changing events in the next seven days, as they take on a drastic, self-imposed mission which will demand the ultimate sacrifice...
1. A Surprising Turn of Events!

A/N: I was driving to work, when I was hit with this idea for a story and knew I had to write it. For a while now, I've been trying to think of a different concept, one which hadn't been used before and I came up with this. There will be several pairings in the story, but I'm going to pay more attention to one couple, out of the rest. This will be my first official Sakura and Kakashi coupling. To be honest, in the beginning, I wasn't too fond of putting these two together, but after reading several really good stories about them, I was forced to think differently.

Please keep in mind that there will be times when I stick to cannon, how the characters are actually presented in the Naruto series, but significant changes will be required as we move further into the story. You can assume this story is an A/U if you want…

I hope you like it!

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><p><strong>Seven days of Seduction – Chapter 1 – A Surprising Turn of Events!<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

They sat around the table at Ino's house, eying each other warily. Most were nervous, while the rest were plainly anticipating the events to occur that night. The day that they'd been looking forward to, as well as dreading, had finally come. What'd started as a silly idea was about to be put to the test, one each of them had been unable to resist. After all, it was, to some extent, for the sake of their comrades, as well as their own curiosity.

"So, is everyone here?" Ino asked, entering the room, carrying the necessities needed for what they were about to do.

"Yeah…" replied Sakura.

"Great! So, girls, are you excited? Although, I have to say, I'm really impressed by your guts," Ino said, admiration in her voice, as she eyed each of them. Sakura, Tenten and Hinata looked back, unwavering, making her smirk in sheer delight.

"This will be done entirely for the experience, nothing more. But, there're three things I have to point out and they are: one – once you agree, you can't back out, two – you have to stick with the person you pick, without argument, and three – you have to complete the mission, seeing it to the very end. We'll have seven days to seduce the person we pick, getting them to fall for us by any means necessary, including sex. If you're not comfortable continuing this, speak up now," Ino finished and waited. Shockingly, no one backed out.

"Okay. Since no one has refused, when they had the chance, I take it you all accept the terms and conditions, which is great" she continued, with a smile.

Settling onto a floor cushion, she placed her burden in front of her, on the table. It consisted of several pens, little squares of cut paper and an empty tissue box. Without another word, she handed each girl a pen and five pieces of paper.

"Okay, this is what we're going to do. Each of us will write the names of five unattached males, putting them in a pile, in the middle of the table, when done. I'll go through them, getting rid of any doubles, so none of us get the same name. Once that's done, I'll fold them, placing them into the box, so we can pick them out," Ino explained.

"A-are you s-sure about this?" questioned Hinata, her voice trembling slightly from anxiety.

"Of course! You were all given a choice, no one was forced into this," Ino replied firmly. Hinata sighed in despair, her head dropping.

"Hinata, if you're not sure, then don't do it," suggested Sakura, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Hinata's head quickly shot up, as she shook it instantly.

"N-no I'm fine. I want to do this," she answered resolutely and the other girls smiled.

"Atta girl! I knew you could do it," Tenten gave her an approving grin, before she picked up her pen and started to write. The other girls also started, looking thoughtful as each selected the names of five single men in the village. It didn't necessarily have to be men they knew, but it had to be their choice, entirely, at the end. That much had been stated clearly at the beginning.

Sakura closed her eyes, sighing inwardly, thinking about that awful day, only a few days ago…

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><p>They'd gathered for a girl's night out, deciding to go to a new bar, which had opened recently in the Hidden Village. Supposedly, it was good, according to Naruto, who'd gone there a few nights previously, with Sasuke, Sai, Kiba, Shikamaru, Choji, Shino, Neji and Lee.<p>

Upon arriving, they saw it was, indeed, very popular, the place packed with locals, both civilians and ninja. After waiting impatiently, for at least half an hour, they finally found an empty table and sat down.

"Finally! These heels are killing me," Ino moaned with loud exaggeration, making Sakura immediately roll her eyes. The girl was beyond annoying, with her constant immature whining and it was a miracle she could hang out with her, without giving in to the temptation to wring her pretty neck.

"Maybe you should've settled for shoes with a smaller heel," Sakura couldn't help pointing out, as Ino replied by shooting her a look of disdain.

"You'll never learn Sakura," she replied snootily, which Sakura chose to ignore, confident she had nothing to prove to Ino the Pig.

"Now, now, you two…calm down. No fighting tonight!" Tenten told them, Hinata nodding in agreement.

"We weren't fight…oh, my! He's so gorgeous," Ino paused in mid sentence, her eyes landing on another allegedly good looking guy. Obviously, they all turned to look, Sakura snorting at what she saw.

"I've seen better!" she said indifferently, earning a glare with Ino.

"Oh really, Sakura? According to you it's all about Sasuke, like he's the only male left in the world. Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but he isn't and unlike you, I'm not going to waste my time running after some guy who's clearly not interested in me. You really should get over it, Sakura and find a date. There are plenty of hot guys to pick from," Ino pointedly gestured at the gorgeous guy she'd spotted. Sakura sighed in annoyance, at hearing the familiar speech again, for what seemed the thousandth time, but decided she'd brought it upon herself

"I'm over Sasuke, Ino," she mumbled grumpily, to which Ino snorted in return.

"No, you're not. You haven't even looked at other guys since your obsession with him started. I admit, I was floored by him, at one point, but that's past. I've moved on, but you haven't and it's about time you did. So, tonight, we're going to find you a date!" she said, a dangerous gleam in her eye, as she turned to scan the bar for possible date material for her.

"Want to get another drink?" Sakura asked Hinata and Tenten. Hinata held up her half glass of sake, while Tenten nodded eagerly, so they headed for the bar together. As they waited to be served, Sakura considered, not for the first time, what Ino had said. Deep down, she knew Ino was right and she'd tried many times, but couldn't. It was like thoughts of another male was off limits to her and she wasn't even sure if it was true love she felt for Sasuke or just a stupid, undying obsession.

As the night passed, the pile of empty glasses increased and before they knew it, all four girls were drunken messes.

"…and then he looked at me and I forgot how to even speak! Why do I do that every time I'm around Naruto? Why can't I tell him how I feel?" moaned Hinata, close to tears. Ino and Sakura sighed, while Tenten suppressed a giggle. This always happened at some point, whenever they were out, as bottled feelings, inside, leaked out, to leave each of them in an emotional state.

"You know something? I'm sick of this! Why should we cry buckets over guys who don't notice us, wasting our precious time, when we could just go out there and take control?" said Ino, out of the blue, placing her empty glass on the table with a bang. Her outburst surprised the others, including Hinata, who looked up from where she sat, with her head down over her crossed arms.

"Uh…what exactly do you mean, Ino?" questioned Tenten, puzzled. Ino eyed each, with what seemed like disapproval, before raising her eyes heavenward.

"Don't you get it? We need to stop this sulking and dominate. Why should it always be us worrying about rejection or suffering heartache? We need to show them there's more to us than meets the eye, that we're not so weak and fragile. It's time we pay them back, show them who's really running the show," she said firmly. The worrying looks the other three exchanged didn't go unmissed by Ino.

"Ino, are you feeling okay?" worried Sakura, wondering if Ino, as predicted, had finally lost it.

"Of course I am!" Ino shot back, surprising them by not slurring her words.

"I think I need another drink," Hinata groaned, causing Tenten to laugh out loud.

"No, I think we've had enough. Maybe we should head back home, it's getting late" responded Sakura, glancing at her wrist watch.

"Okay, we're leaving, but we're going to take a walk. You lot need to hear what I have to say. I think I just got an idea!" Ino's voice was filled with excitement and urgency, causing Sakura to sigh wearily.

"Fine. Let's get going, then," she replied in surrender, as they all got up, moving to pay the bill, before making their way outside. Upon exiting the bar, the first thing they noticed was the night had turned chilly, the cold breeze nipping at any exposed skin on their bodies.

"Maybe we should reschedule the walk?" Tenten drunkenly mumbled, until Ino harshly elbowed her arm. She winced at the pain, shooting daggers at Ino with her eyes.

"Look, this is important, so just hear me out," Ino's voice was firm.

"I think we should listen to what she has to say," Hinata's quiet voice said, and Ino instantly brightened.

"I don't think we really have a choice," Tenten added, still rubbing where Ino's elbow had connected.

"Okay, let's just get this over with quickly…I'm ready to drop" Sakura responded, her eyelids only half opened. The need to get out of her clingy red dress, to jump into bed, was quite intense. As they started walking, following Ino's lead, she couldn't help glancing above her, into the beautiful, clear night sky. The moon, even half full, shone brightly, the stars vibrantly twinkling around it, causing a smile to come to her lips. Even in her drunken state, she couldn't help feeling at ease in scenery so peaceful.

But the tranquillity was soon shattered by Ino's annoying voice and, with a grimace; she shifted her gaze back to her.

"I think we all need a change and this idea would be the perfect way to do it. Just think of it as a way to build our confidence, to help us achieve our heart's desires," said Ino, looking remarkably calm for someone who, just minutes ago, had been considerably drunk. Nevertheless, Sakura couldn't help the slight peak of interest she felt, and listened intently to her words, all thoughts of her bed and sleep gone. Hinata and Tenten seemed intrigued as well, waiting for her to continue talking.

"We'll play a game. We'll call it a game of seduction. It'll be a way to experiment, to help us gain power over our victim. In preparation, to help us, we'll work together to gain insight and knowledge on everything there is to know about men. We'll each randomly pick a guy to work on and have seven days to do it. What do you say? Are you in?" Ino asked her face hopeful as she looked at each of them.

"Are you crazy?" cried Sakura, perturbed. Hinata's and Tenten's faces had similar looks, but Ino wasn't put off in the least.

"Look, what do we have to lose? Absolutely nothing. Just look at it as an S Rank mission, if that makes things easier," Ino continued, completely ignoring Sakura's outburst.

This is stupid…" Sakura started saying, before Ino cut her off.

"What's wrong with it? It's not like anything exciting is happening in our lives. We're all single, no boyfriends, and the guys we do want show no interest or are completely clueless. It's time we entertained ourselves. This time, we won't be alone, because we'll have each other's help and, together, I know we can do it. At least think about it. If you decide you want to go for it, come around to my place, Saturday night at 7pm. I'll be waiting." she said, turning to leave. They watched as she walked away before turning to face each other.

"Um…so, are you going to go?" asked Hinata, her voice distracted. Sakura observed how her eyes tensely shifted, left to right repeatedly, clearly showing she was worried, as she thought about Ino's words.

"I'm going to go," Tenten suddenly spoke, surprising them.

"Are you really? But why…?" Sakura questioned, but Tenten merely shrugged in an offhand manner.

"She's right. Nothing exciting is happening in our lives, so what's the harm in seeing where this leads us? Maybe we need this and to just refuse would make us cowards. We're ninja, after all. Taking challenges in our stride is what being a ninja is about. That's why I'm going for it; treat it like a personal S Rank mission. Although, I'd feel much better if my comrades were with me," she said, looking directly at both of them.

"I guess, if you put it like that...I don't think we really have a choice. There's no way we're letting a comrade attempt this stupid mission alone, right Hinata?" Sakura smiled at Hinata, who nodded in agreement.

I knew I could count on both of you!" Tenten wrapped her arms around them, a huge smile on her face…

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><p>Sakura's thoughts returned to the present, as she pondered over the five names she'd write. Turning her attention to the other girls, she saw they were in a similar predicament and had to close her eyes, to block out the image. Even if Tenten hadn't literally blackmailed them into this, she realized she'd eventually have given in to her curiosity to come. After finally reaching home, and her bed, that night, she'd lain awake, thinking repeatedly about what Ino had said. In the end, she'd come to the conclusion that she was right.<p>

Her life was going nowhere. Sasuke, clearly not caring two hoots for her, not in the way she wanted, seemed to prefer Naruto's company to hers. Between the occasional mission, and her work at the hospital, she didn't really have a life. Even the girl nights out were rare, the days they were all free limited, so they had to grasp the chance, once or twice a month, when it presented itself.

She knew the others felt similar and, deep down, it was the reason they were here, today, to do the unthinkable. Knowing they were with her, that they'd work together, was really comforting, and it was with that reassurance that she opened her eyes to write the first five names that came to her, before placing them, face down, in a neat pile in the middle of the table. Soon, the other girls placed their on top of hers. When everyone was done, they waited for Ino to look through them.

They watched carefully, as she slowly looked through the names, disposing of a few, here and there. She had, Sakura noted, disposed of seven, leaving only thirteen remaining, when she was done. When she was satisfied none were alike, she folded each paper twice, before placing them in the box. Then, covering the opening with her hand, she firmly shook it several times to mix the pieces of paper inside.

With a smile, she paused, holding the box out to Hinata first, who visibly flinched, swallowing nervously. She moved forward to put her shaking hand into the box, pulling out a slip of paper. Next, Ino offered the box to Tenten, who also took a piece and then it was Sakura's turn. Silently praying she wouldn't pick either Lee or Naruto, she let her hand move forward to wander aimlessly inside the box. After several long seconds, she pulled one out, gripping it tightly in her hand. They watched Ino pick hers, and then silently traded nervous looks with each other.

"We'll open them together, on the count of three…one…" started Ino, anxiously…

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><p>AN: I hope you enjoyed reading the first chapter. So, what did you think? Is it unique? It's obvious who Sakura's going to pick, but I'm leaving the choice of who the other girls pick to you!

I like to give my readers a chance to have a say in the story, so please feel free to make a request. It would be interesting to see what feed back I get, if I get any at all…

Please review, and many thanks for sparing the time to read this. ^_^


	2. An Embarassing Moment

A/N: I have to say, I'm really excited about writing this story and it's unbelievable how much thought I put into it. Choosing the guys for Ino, Hinata and Tenten turned out to be even more difficult than I had first thought, but thanks to two lovely people I got some really good advice. Tazicat12 and Yeather - you two are the best and I can't thank you enough for your help.

I appreciate the reviews and look forward to reading more in the near future! :D

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><p><strong>Seven Days of Seduction – Chapter 2 – An Embarrassing Moment…<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

"We'll open them together on the count of three…One…two…three" said Ino and instantly all four girls opened their slips to stare at the names on them.

"You have got to be kidding me!" moaned Tenten, speaking up first, while the rest just looked stunned.

"I think I'll second that," Ino's face had a look of despair. Hinata, on the other hand, was as white as the paper, her mouth slightly open in shock. Sakura just stared, in disbelief, at the name on hers, as if hoping she was seeing things.

"So girls, who did you get?" Ino looked keenly at each of them.

"I got Ebisu!" Tenten grimaced.

"Really? I got Iruka Sensei," Ino exclaimed, disappointed. Turning, they looked at Hinata, now recovered from her initial shock, but whose face was now completely red.

I-I p-picked N-Naruto," she mumbled, before passing out. Ino and Tenten shared a look of surprise, before glancing expectantly at Sakura, who still stared, in disbelief, at the paper in her hand. When she didn't speak up, Ino sighed impatiently, snatching it from her, before looking eagerly at it.

You got Kakashi?" cried both girls as one, each looking slightly miffed, especially Ino.

"It's got to be some kind of joke. Maybe I'm dreaming…I'll wake up any second now…," Sakura whispered, before Ino gave her arm an ungentle pinch, making her yelp.

"What was that for?" Sakura glared at her, rubbing her sore spot. Tenten was trying to awaken Hinata, who lay, completely out, on the floor, but, so far, she wasn't having any luck. Ino got up, fetched a glass of water, and then poured it out onto Hinata's face. Instantly, the girl woke, lashing out her arms at the sudden attack. Ino waved off the disapproving look Tenten shot at her, before turning to all three girls.

"Okay, we know our targets, so now we can move on to the difficult part, which is the preparation. With the exception of Hinata, we're dealing with older guys, so our lack of experience makes things a bit trickier. I assume you three are virgins?" she asked, and hesitantly, they nodded. Hinata had semi-recovered, her face now looking quite pale, as she looked, distracted, off into a corner. Sakura was having similar problems as she pondered her bad luck.

*Why the hell did I have to pick Kakashi Sensei, of all people?* was the only thought that ran, repeatedly, through her head.

"Can you please pay attention? This is important!" said Ino loudly, bringing them instantly back to the present. Once she was satisfied that she had their complete attention, she continued.

"There's no point wasting time crying over who you picked, and no way you can back out now, so get over it! Since I'm the only one with any sexual experience, I'll have to share what I know, so you can get a brief idea of what, and what not, to expect. Also, I have something to show you that'll help considerably with what we're going to do," she got up from her seat, heading into her bedroom, before returning, less than a minute later. She hid one hand, with something in it, behind her back, out of sight. Returning to her seat, she held it out in front of them.

It was the latest in the Icha Icha series, just out that very day, and, strangely enough, it was entitled Icha Icha Seduction.

"I want you to read each and every one of the books in the Icha Icha series, memorising as much as you can, because it'll come in very handy. This is where we'll get our key info from. The author is an absolute pervert, so you can expect it to be filled with juicy facts. Once we've done that, we'll work on the next part. Do any of you have any questions?" she asked. Tenten, Hinata and Sakura gazed, unblinking, back at her, making her sigh.

"Look, I know you're all nervous, but we're working together on this and I assure you, it will work out. We're the Kunoichi of the Hidden Leaf! Nothing is impossible for us, I want you to always remember that," she stated firmly. They managed to react to this, though their smiles seemed false.

*Maybe this is going to take longer than I thought,* Ino inwardly sighed. But, in a way, she couldn't blame them for their reactions. She understood how Sakura felt about the whole 'Sensei' thing, but it couldn't be helped. There was no turning back, and she was determined they were all going to succeed in seducing the guys they picked, even if it killed her. If there was one thing Ino Yamanaka never ran from, it was a challenge!

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><p>The girls, minus Ino, headed for the only book store in the village to get their copies of Icha Icha.<p>

"This is stupid!" Sakura repeatedly moaned. The other two politely ignored her, preoccupied with their own predicaments.

"Seriously you guys! I don't think I can do this" Sakura said in despair, feeling the need to bang her head on a brick wall somewhere. Their faces full of understanding, Tenten and Hinata turned to look at her.

"I know you can do this, Sakura. I mean, come on…Kakashi Sensei? You have to admit there's something mysterious and definitely sexy about him. I wouldn't have minded picking him," Tenten winked, surprising both of them.

"You think Kakashi Sensei is…sexy?" Sakura slowly repeated, as Tenten sheepishly nodded.

"Of course…don't tell me you haven't noticed. Are you blind or something? Even Ino thinks he's hot; it was her who put his name down. I recognised her handwriting on the paper you picked; I bet she wanted him, but you beat her to it," Tenten slyly replied. Sakura frowned, recalling it had looked suspiciously like Ino's writing on the paper she'd been stuck with. At this point, they reached the bookstore, looking around quickly, in case anyone they knew was nearby. Luckily there wasn't, so they stepped inside, sighing in relief.

Getting caught buying the Icha Icha collection was not a thought they wanted to dwell on, as they glanced around the store, searching for the overrated books.

"I see them…o-over there," whispered Hinata, blushing slightly as she pointed toward the adult section. They made their way over, all the while worriedly glancing around the store. The owner, currently sitting by the till, drank from a coffee mug, as he peered closely at the Icha Icha Seduction book in his hand. It seemed everyone was obsessed with those darn porn books.

They released the breath they'd been holding, as they paused, directly in front of the huge Icha Icha display and saw no one they knew. Tenten, hurriedly grabbed a copy of each book, for a total of eight, before rushing toward the till, as Sakura and Hinata looked on in open mouthed amazement.

"Hello, girls. Imagine, bumping into you here." The voice, laced with amusement came from directly behind them, making them jump in shock. Sakura recognised it instantly, as they turned to face its owner, wishing the ground would swallow her whole.

Kakashi stood staring at both of them with an arched eyebrow, glancing at the display behind, before turning back again.

"I didn't know the two of you read the Icha Icha books," he teased, as they stared back, completely tongue-tied, forgetting how to speak, let alone think.

"Sakura, Hinata, hurry up already," called Tenten from the till. Sakura almost face palmed, as Kakashi curiously glanced at Tenten, who carried all eight books in her arms, then back at them.

"Never mind," he carelessly shrugged his shoulders, reaching out to grab a copy of Seduction, before walking away. They watched, as Tenten, gasping in surprise at seeing Kakashi, instantly dropped the books she was carrying. Strangely, Kakashi completely ignored her, quickly paying for his book and turning to leave.

"Don't be late for the training session tomorrow, Sakura," he called back, waving goodbye before disappearing. Sakura, completely mortified, sank to the ground, wondering if things could get any worse. Tenten, ignoring the owner, who was glaring at her, picked up her books, hurrying over to where the other two girls were.

"I can't believe he caught us buying this shit!" she moaned, appalled.

"I-I think we should hurry up and leave before someone else sees us," Hinata mumbled quickly, grabbing her eight books. Sakura, sighing in resignation, got up, to pick her own copies, before they walked to the till together. Once they were outside, with the books safely hidden in doubled bags, they relaxed.

"I don't know how I'm going to face him, after this," Sakura whined, thinking about the training session.

"At least he didn't see you carrying all eight of the Icha Icha books," Tenten pointed out…

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><p>Several more minutes of complaining later, they parted ways and headed home. As she took the route to her apartment, Sakura begrudgingly thought, about the whole mess, even though she'd have preferred to forget it. There was no way to refuse; Ino had specifically made that clear before they agreed, so now she had no choice but to go along.<p>

Turning her thoughts to what Tenten had said earlier, she found herself considering Kakashi Sensei, concluding there'd been some truth in it. He was, indeed, a mystery man, with an aura of sexiness, if looked at from a different perspective than the one she'd always held. It wasn't his mask, or that no one knew what he looked like, it was more in how he presented himself to everyone around him. His style, coolness and aloofness was enough to get any woman's attention, but, deep down, she knew there was more to him.

They'd known each other for seven years now, spending countless hours working on the same team, among other things. Sasuke had eventually returned to the Hidden Leaf Village, after Naruto had convinced him into thinking differently and she'd be eternally grateful to him. He'd kept his promise, with Team Seven finally reuniting. Even so… going through that period of suffering, after he'd walked away from them, was something she could never forget. After all, it was the reason she was the person she was, today.

Sakura Haruno was one of the best Medical Ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village, Lady Tsunade's personal disciple and a full fledged Jounin. It was a big achievement. She'd come a long way from the once useless Genin, who always relied on others to save her. Now, her team mates looked at her with respect, easily relying on her to save their necks if the need arose.

Team Seven, now, was the Hidden Leaf's strongest, and as the Hokage knew, they were their best hope, needed for S Rank missions that seemed impossible to complete. After all, a team consisting of the Nine Tailed Jinchuuriki, the sole Uchiha clan survivor, the Copy Ninja and a younger version of Lady Tsunade, herself, was bound to be amazingly strong. It'd been awkward at first, when their old team had been reinstated and ordered to go on S Rank missions by the Hokage. It took time, adjusting to Sasuke working with them again, but, soon enough, after continuous training directed by Kakashi, they got easily back into it.

She recalled his face, as he gave that speech, not long ago, about how proud he was. The day Sasuke and Naruto finally became Jounin, one she'd remember for the rest of her life. It was one of the few times they'd actually glimpsed emotions from him, both boys, she remembered, being noticeably astounded.

Now, he'd pointed out, that they were officially equals; there was no need to call him Sensei. Old habits die hard, though. After reminding both Naruto and her several times when they forgot, he'd given up. Sasuke easily settled for Kakashi, he'd never really referred to him as Sensei. It had always been" Kakashi this", "Kakashi that".

She walked out onto her apartment balcony, peering up at the sky. It was getting dark, the sun already setting in the far distance, with a light breeze picking up, after the hot day. Down below, voices could be heard, as local shop keepers wished last customers good night, before closing for the day. Inhaling deeply, she smiled, before walking back inside to prepare supper.

An hour later, freshly showered and dressed in a comfortable, loose t shirt, she settled into bed to begin reading the first Icha Icha. It was late, when she finished, falling asleep, without noticing the time. Only half an hour later, her alarm went off, and she groaned as she lifted her head off the pillow.

"Why the hell do we have to get up so early for training?" she grumbled in frustration, dragging her body out of bed toward the bathroom…

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><p>Hinata finished the first book, stifling a yawn as she glanced at the bedside table clock. It was already 6am, time to get up and she hadn't got a wink of sleep all night. No surprise there; she'd been in a constant state of anxiety since seeing Naruto's name on the slip of paper. She'd tried to tell herself it was okay, countless times, but her darkest fears betrayed her. Finally deciding it was useless trying to sleep, she's pulled out the first book and started reading.<p>

All of her evil thoughts vanished, as she skimmed through the pages. She concentrated on the story, unable to resist blushing, occasionally, when the language got very obscene. Making things worse; thoughts of her with Naruto, conjured by her naughty side, would cloud her mind. It was pitiful, how easy it was for her to blush. No matter how hard she tried not to, she couldn't help it. It was like a disease, playing mind games on her. Try as she might to cure it, it only got worse.

Although the cold shower did help clear her mind and dampened all lingering visions of Naruto doing naughty things to her…

* * *

><p>Tenten dodged Lee's onslaught, before distancing herself, to shoot quick precise arrows at him with her bow. When he ducked, she pulled out her scroll, launching weapons at him with lightning like speed. She watched him quickly moving around them, and when the last one hit a safe distance away from him, he dropped to the ground, breathing heavily.<p>

"That…was great, Tenten," he said, between pants. She swiftly landed, next to him and began picking up her weaponry.

"I'm going to head home now. That's enough training for today," she told him. He gave her thumbs up.

"I'll see you later then," he replied tiredly, as she waved before walking home. She knew they hadn't trained much today, but, after staying up all night, reading porn; she really wasn't in the mood. It was unbelievable, that an old pervert like Jiraiya could write like that! Once she'd begun reading, she couldn't stop. Maybe it was the way everything was so clearly explained, that fascinated her. Ino hadn't exaggerated, when she said the books would be the perfect aid in their plan. Already, just using her mouth and tongue alone, she knew how to make a man cum, referred to as a 'blowjob'. The book clearly described each and every little detail, much to her delight. It would clearly come in handy later.

She'd also noted how the book's female characters used their bodies in different ways, to grab the men's attention. It was incredible, what a small display of cleavage and skin could do to a man's hormones! She was definitely going to need a change of appearance for the task ahead…

* * *

><p>Ino waited outside the Academy, watching for him. She knew this was, usually the time, he headed for work, and as predicted, she saw him walking towards her, only minutes later.<p>

"Iruka Sensei, how are you?" she called as he approached. He looked at her with obvious surprise, smiling brightly.

"Ino? Long time, no see. I'm good, thanks. What about you? How's it going at the hospital?" he replied, to which she pouted.

"I've been good, but working at the hospital isn't as good as it used to be. I thought becoming a Medical Ninja would be right for me, but I guess I was wrong. I don't think I have what it takes," she pretended disappointment. Iruka was instantly concerned, placing a comforting hand on her bare shoulder.

"Does this have something to do with how Sakura's doing? I know you two still have some kind of rivalry going on, but you don't have to push yourself so much. Take it easy, at your own pace. If you strain your abilities, you're bound to fall back at some point. You're a great Medical Ninja, Ino. Don't you forget that," Iruka told her firmly. She gave him her special smile.

"Oh Iruka Sensei, you're the best. You wouldn't believe how much I needed to hear that! I mean, no one's given me advice like that since Asuma Sensei passed away. He always knew what to say to make me feel better. Sometimes, I wish he was still here," she looked sadly off, into the distance.

"I'm always here for you, Ino, if you need any help, or a shoulder to cry on. I may've taught you years ago, but I'll always be your first Sensei," he replied cheerfully.

"Really? That would be so great. Maybe we can meet up, sometime soon and you can help me with a few other problems. I could really use your advice, Iruka Sensei," she gave him her best puppy dog eyes.

"Sure, why not?" he gave in with a chuckle.

"Oh, thank you so much. How about tomorrow night? We can meet up at 7pm, at that new bar everyone's been talking about," she said happily. He hesitated for a split second, before nodding.

"That's fine by me. I'll see you then," he waved as he walked off. She waved back, turning away before smirking triumphantly.

"Gotcha!" she said…

* * *

><p>Sakura hauled her heavy feet toward the bridge, where Sasuke and Naruto stood waiting.<p>

"Sakura, you made it," called Naruto, cheerfully. She shot him a warning look, making him flinch in confusion. Sasuke, cocking an eyebrow, didn't comment.

"I bet he's going to be late again! Here we are, up early, waiting around like idiots!" she moaned.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Naruto teased, as she rolled her eyes.

"I only slept for half an hour," she despaired. The boys exchanged looks, before turning to face her.

"Only half an hour, eh? What were you doing up so late?" Naruto enquired.

"None of your business," she retorted. The minutes ticked by. They waited, and waited, while Naruto persistently questioned Sakura on why she up so late, and whether she had a boyfriend. She was an inch away from strangling him, and Kakashi Sensei, whenever he finally showed up.

Two hours later, they heard a familiar poof. Deeply annoyed, she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Sorry I'm late. Someone stole my alarm clock," greeted Kakashi, idly raising a hand. He immediately sensed the killer vibes emitting from Sakura, raising an eyebrow, before glancing questioningly at Naruto and Sasuke.

"PMS," whispered Naruto, who instantly got punched.

"Ooooowwww! That hurt!" he gripped his sore head, moaning.

"Today we're going to Training Ground 4, so let's get a move on. I'll meet you there," Kakashi disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to his lame excuses," Sasuke remarked, displeased. Sakura bit her tongue, refusing to comment.

"We've put up with it longer than you," Naruto reminded him…

* * *

><p>As they walked into Training Ground 4 they spotted him, sitting on a tree branch, reading.<p>

"You're late," he called.

"You're one to talk," Sakura replied, as he lazily looked down at her.

"What's wrong with you today, Sakura? It's not like you to be so grumpy," he observed. She pointedly ignored him. He turned to the other two, who just shrugged their shoulders.

"Never mind. Today, first, we're working in pairs, to establish how much we've learned to coordinate with each other, since our last training session. I noticed, on our last S Rank, that you three lacked the obedience needed, for that sort of extremely difficult mission. We got lucky, then, but I won't tolerate that mistake, again. So, pair off, and start studying everything you can about each other," Kakashi looking firmly at each of them. The boys, predictably, took off, leaving her to Kakashi, who, replacing his book in his pouch leapt gracefully down, in front of her.

"Are you ready, Sakura?" he revealed his Sharingan, as she nodded. One thing Sakura had learned about Kakashi by now was his habit of trying something different every time they fought. After he disappeared from view, it would always be something new. But, starting off, it would always be either the Earth Style: Hidden Mole Jutsu, or the Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Technique. It was getting pretty boring by now.

This time, he'd chosen Hidden Mole. She slammed her chakra filled fist into the ground, forcing him to reappear, in front of her.

"Hmmm, I think that jutsu is losing its effect," he remarked amusedly.

"Took you long enough to figure that out," she replied launching a punch at him, which he dodged.

"So, tell me, Sakura, what were you doing at the bookstore, yesterday?" he asked.

"Why do people go to a bookstore?" she retorted, attacking him repeatedly. He ducked, like always, sneaking in a few moves of his own.

"You don't answer a question with a question," he sighed.

"Tough luck," she replied. They continued training for two hours before he told them to stop. At this point, all four were breathing loudly, exhausted from too much chakra usage.

"I think that's enough for today. We can meet back here, same time tomorrow for the next part," he dismissed them. She sighed in relief. Her eyes burned from lack of sleep and, perplexingly, she felt completely drained, each step an effort. A sideways glance at the boys confirmed they were just as exhausted. No surprise, as they usually tended to go overboard when they sparred, as if it were a real fight, not training.

Naruto and Sasuke walked away, supporting each other's weight, as she glared at their backs. They always seemed joined at the hip, sometimes, to her great irritation, acting like she didn't exist. Nevertheless, she moved forward, step by step, one after another, trying to ignore her dizziness. As a Medical Ninja, she knew better, knew she should've just sat down, waiting for it to pass, but she didn't. Possibly, it was her need to get back to bed and sleep making her rush, so she wasn't too surprised to feel herself falling forward…only to bump into a hard, surprisingly warm wall of some kind. Her eyes instantly opened to see what it was.

"Yo," said Kakashi, looking down to where she was leaning against his chest. She scrambled back, yelping, falling flat on her backside. He looked down, amused, as she glared back up at him.

"Some kind of warning would've been nice," she said sarcastically.

"There was no time," he reached out his hand, which she took, allowing him help her up. It took a few extra seconds to regain her balance. She expected him to ridicule her, but he didn't.

"You didn't stay awake reading Icha Icha all night, did you?" he asked innocently. Her eyes widened, as she looked up at him, letting go of his hand.

"No, of course not," she lied easily. He arched an eyebrow at her but didn't comment.

"I'd better make sure you get home. I don't want you falling flat on your face, on the way," he said, as she scowled at him. They walked, with him, as expected, pulling out his book to read. She couldn't help wondering, while they headed toward her apartment, if she'd missed an opportunity. They were alone; a perfect chance to make a move, but it was too late now, wasn't it?

She sneaked a peek at him, looking him over. He wasn't bad looking, from what she could see. It was the darn mask! It covered the part of him that she'd been, when younger, dying to see. That old need for just a glimpse came rushing back to her.

"Is there something on my face?" he asked. She looked away quickly, blushing slightly.

"Uh…no, why?" she silently cursed them both. Her, for getting caught checking him out and him, for noticing. In the silence, she risked looking at him again, only to see him looking back.

"Your behaviour today's been quite…strange. Is something bothering you?" he frowned slightly.

"It's nothing. Just lack of sleep," she replied quickly, before noticing her mistake. She'd answered too soon, defensively. Now, she was positive, he'd know, for sure, something was up.

"Are you sure that's all it is?" he probed further. She nodded, avoiding his sharp eye.

"I see," was all he said, before his attention returned to his book…

* * *

><p>AN: So what did you think of the pairing and the story so far? Please review and give me some much needed feedback… See you in the next chapter ^_^


	3. Revealed Feelings of Attraction

A/N: First of all, I want to make ONE thing VERY clear to anyone who reads this story…This is JUST a story and I will NOT tolerate any one making stupid remarks aimed at me because of the storyline. If you don't approve, don't read it. I understand that reviewing a story gives you the right to judge what's written, but that DOESN'T give you the right to judge me, the author. I hope you're reading this NAMIKAZE777 because this message is directed at people like you…

As for the lovely people who are enjoying the story, thank you so much for taking the time to read it and for reviewing. At least some people can sit back and read a story without getting hateful. This story is rated an M for a reason, but I guess some people keep forgetting that…

Enjoy :D

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><p><strong>Seven Days of Seduction – Chapter 3 – Revealed Feelings of Attraction…<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

Sakura dropped onto her bed, sighing in relief. So far, everything had gone wrong, like she was being punished for a crime she didn't commit. Minutes ago, she'd seen the last of Kakashi, escaping the suffocation she'd felt, under his all too watchful eye. One thing she'd learned, about him, over the years, was that absolutely nothing escaped him.

This wasn't going to be easy. She'd have to come up with a strategy to get this plan going, but nothing was coming to mind. She'd picked up on a lot, after reading that stupid book last night! Who knew Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, was able to write so deeply, explaining sex like he was an expert. The several things she'd learned, had given her a confidence boost.

Accomplishing such an exploit was easier said than done, though, so she was glad she'd have the others to help her. Stifling a yawn, she closed tired eyes, deciding to catch some sleep. She wouldn't be going to the hospital until later in the day…

* * *

><p>Sasuke, freshly showered, left his bathroom, brooding over what he'd do for the rest of the day. He could still feel the body strain, after the morning's intense training fight with Naruto. Not even a hot shower could cure it. He glanced at himself in the full length mirror, grateful, this time, he hadn't received an injury.<p>

Deciding a nap wouldn't hurt; he let the towel fall from his waist, before pulling on boxers and heading for bed. Dropping heavily onto it, he found his thoughts turning to the latest problem in his life. It had been plaguing him, despite attempts to ignore it, for a while now. At first, he'd believed his mind was playing tricks, when he'd realized he was seeing someone in a totally different way than before. It was stupid, really, more than a little humiliating.

For example, today, he'd found his heart pounding, its pace abnormal, as they fought. The briefest of body contact, like when he'd used his lower body to pin him down, sent the blood shooting to his head. Or the way they'd supported each other's weight, going home. It'd been like his entire left side was on fire, and he'd worried, what if he'd noticed?

Even now, his body stirred at the thought and he looked down, disgusted, at the bulge forming underneath his boxers…

* * *

><p>Tenten hurried through the streets towards the Hokage Tower, after being summoned. Arriving at the Hokage's office, she knocked, waiting for Lady Tsunade's permission to enter. When she got it, she walked inside, bowing in respect. Tsunade sat behind her desk, a worried Shizune running to and fro, with vital paperwork.<p>

"Tenten…glad you could make it. I've got a mission for you, but I'm waiting for the others to arrive, before I explain it," said the Hokage. Tenten nodded, wondering who she'd be teaming up with. A timid knock on the door, several minutes later, revealed Hinata, who hesitantly walked in before brightening, a smile appearing, when she saw Tenten. Seconds later, Gai showed up, with Lee in tow.

"Now that everyone's here, I'll get down to business. I have an A rank mission for you, and since Neji's not here, Hinata's taking his place. The mission is to take a highly classified message to the Hidden Cloud Village, to the Raikage, making sure, at all cost, to guard it. There's a chance you'll be ambushed, so be on high alert. I'm putting Gai in charge," Tsunade handing the scroll to Gai, who accepted it, tucking it away safely.

"You can count on us, Lady Tsunade, we won't let you down," he struck his famous thumbs up pose.

"Right…get going, then. I know you can do it. Good luck," she gave a small smile, as they turned to leave…

* * *

><p>"Did you bring them with you?" Tenten whispered, glancing sideways at her. Hinata blushed, nodding.<p>

"How much have you read so far?" Tenten asked, looking where, up ahead, Lee and Gai were busy with their own exchange, about the latest accomplishments of youth.

"Um...only the first one," Hinata replied looking down, as they walked along the path leading out of the Village.

"Really…you finished the first one, already? I'm only half way through, but I managed to pick up some really good tactics. Did you read that bit about the woman seducing the guy in the second story, the way she practically raped him and it wasn't like the bastard was complaining. He practically welcomed it!" Tenten's excited reply was louder than necessary, and Hinata squeaked in panic, as Gai and Lee gave them peculiar looks.

"Sssshhh, n-not so loud…we don't want them to hear," Hinata worriedly whispered, but Tenten waved it off like it was nothing.

"Oh, don't worry about them. So, have you thought about how you're going to seduce Naruto yet? You must be really excited, especially after secretly crushing on him for so long. Maybe you could play it like that woman did in the third story? You know, where she got herself drunk, before confessing her feelings of love, and then found the courage to fuck him silly. Now that's an idea…" she looked wide eyed, at the prospect. As expected, Hinata had gone tomato red as vivid images, of Naruto, moaning in delight as she rode on top of him, began popping into her head.

"I-I r-really don't think that n-now is t-the best time to talk about this…" Hinata, swallowing nervously, managed to point out.

"Why not…? It's a long way to the Hidden Cloud, so we might as well discuss things. Oh, right that reminds me, did you read that bit where…" Tenten began. It was indeed, Hinata sighed despairingly, a long, long journey ahead of them…

* * *

><p>Ino looked impatiently at the hospital wall clock, wondering when Sakura would get there. She couldn't wait to tell her about her meeting with Iruka. Well, to be more precise, she couldn't wait to rub her face in it. She'd been peeved at Sakura, for getting Kakashi as her target. But, Ino also believed her friend didn't have a chance to seduce him. Sakura just didn't have what it took and someone like Kakashi, Ino was certain, would never look at her in that way.<p>

Seeing her rush in, looking like she'd just dragged herself out of bed, Ino walked, smiling toward her.

"Hey Sakura, you're late," she called out, watching her face drop.

"I'm not late Ino…I'm on time," Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Sakura, it's good that you're here. We just got two emergency cases in and we need your help," one of the nurses, rushed toward them, breathless.

"Lead the way, Akira," replied Sakura, as they hurried towards the ICU. Feeling the usual pang of jealousy, whenever Sakura was given more importance, Ino sighed. Glancing at the clock, she made her way towards Room D12, where the patient's bandages needed changing…

Sakura quickly followed Akira into the ICU, grabbing a clean pair of disposable sterile gloves, before following the nurse through the door. Her eyes widened when she saw the patient.

"Sai…what happened? Are you okay?" she instantly asked, rushing forward. He sat on the bed, with his ANBU outfit blood covered, a nasty looking wound below his shoulder.

"Hi, Sakura," he replied tiredly. On close inspection, she saw the injury was deep, barely missing his lungs. Automatically, her hands moved forward, beginning to healing his wound, gathering the right amount of chakra as she began.

"What happened?" she asked worried.

"We were ambushed by a large group of Rogue Ninja. Yamato was injured as well," he answered.

"Yamato Sempei, too? How bad is it?" she turned to Akira, who frowned in concern.

"Lady Tsunade's tending to him. It looked quite serious," she responded.

"I'll take care of it, here. Can you please find out how he's doing?" Sakura politely requested. Akira nodded, hurrying back out. She finished healing his injury, looking his body over for others that might need tending.

"Does it hurt anywhere else?" she pressed fingers lightly across his back and chest. Around the area of his ribs, he flinched.

"It does hurt there. Maybe I broke a couple of ribs," he attempted a smile.

"I need you to take off your top," she ordered. He did and straight away, on the left, she saw the swollen, bruised skin across his ribs.

"Lie down, please," she told him, placing her hands on his chest to heal the damage.

"You were right about the broken ribs. Luckily, they didn't puncture your left lung, or it could've been serious. I'll have to patch you up. Which means, for a while, someone won't be going on any missions," she said firmly, working on the swelling and bruises.

"Oh, goody," he dryly responded. After she'd finishing, she tightly bandaged the broken ribs.

"There you go. I think we should keep you here for a couple of days, to speed your recovery, instead of letting you go home, just yet," she told him.

"Thank you, Sakura," he replied, as she helped him up.

"Take it easy," she gently replied, noticing his jerk of pain. The door opened, making them look up, as an anxious Akira hurried back inside.

"Lady Tsunade wants you to come immediately. They're in the room next door," her voice was urgent, and Sakura nodded.

"I'll be right there. For the time being, please shift him to a room," she called back, hurrying next door …

* * *

><p>An hour later, thoroughly exhausted, she made her way to the hospital's staff room. Making herself a strong coffee, she gave a quick, thankful prayer that Yamato Sempei was okay. It'd been difficult, but, thanks to the team of her and Lady Tsunade, he was stable. He'd taken a sword in the chest, close to the heart, damaging major arteries and his right lung. It'd taken both their high level abilities to save him. He was still unconscious but, after a few days of rest and treatment, would come to.<p>

The Rogue Ninja had been, specifically, after Yamato Sempei and his abilities, not caring if they took him dead or alive. If it hadn't been for Sai's quick thinking, their whole team would've been killed. Whoever these rogues were, they'd been strong. Sakura could guarantee, when the Hokage found time, she'd send her strongest, the much feared Team Seven, to find and eliminate them.

"How is he?" a worried Ino asked.

"He's stable but still unconscious," she replied tiredly.

"You look like you could use some rest. I can tell it took a toll on you," Ino pointed out, making some coffee for herself. She'd always had a knack for seeing right through her.

"I'm fine," Sakura waved it off.

"If you're sure… Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about you know what, but not right now. I heard Hinata and Tenten have gone on a mission, so that leaves us. Let's meet up for dinner tonight, maybe have a few rounds of sake," Ino said brightly.

"Sure, why not? What time?" she asked, the mention of sake and gossip tempting her.

"I'll come to your place at 7.30pm." Ino was exited at the prospect of revealing what'd happened, earlier in the day.

"That's fine by me," Sakura took a sip of her coffee…

* * *

><p>When he heard a loud knock, he looked drowsily up from his pillow. Head fuzzy with sleep, cursing, he tossed aside the covers, moving to the front door, to see who'd dared to wake him. He opened it, sighing when he saw who it was.<p>

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sasuke eyed the cheerful blond headed idiot in the doorway.

"I got bored," Naruto shrugging, pushed past him. When his arm touched his, giving him goose bumps, Sasuke flinched.

"You got bored? What kind of reason is that? Even Kakashi could've come up with better," Sasuke sarcastically replied, closing the door.

"Maybe. So, you want to go grab a bite to eat?" Naruto got comfortable on the sofa.

"I guess. You want to go now?" Sasuke headed to the bathroom.

"Yeah. Should we ask Kakashi Sensei to come along?" Naruto grinned.

"Whatever. If we can find him, that is," Sasuke called as he brushed his teeth.

"Hmmm, piece of cake," Naruto clasped his hands together, calling on the Natural Energy around him. Shortly, he'd changed to Sage Mode, pinpointing Kakashi's location.

"I found him," Naruto called, as Sasuke emerged from the bathroom.

"Show off," he shook his head, starting to dress…

* * *

><p>"You did what?" Sakura, horrified, turned to Ino, as they headed to one of their favourite restaurants.<p>

"Exactly what you heard, Sakura. I convinced Iruka Sensei to meet me tomorrow at 7pm," came Ino's delighted reply.

"But, how? How'd you manage to persuade him to go on a date with you?" Sakura, eyes wide in disbelief, whispered loudly.

"How do you think? I laid on the charm, what else," Ino winked, making Sakura snort.

"Yeah, right. I bet you used some kind of emotional blackmail, so he couldn't say no" she rolled her eyes.

"Don't be silly! Of course not," Ino replied tartly.

"Well, at least you're getting somewhere," Sakura grimaced as they walked inside, asking for a table of two.

"So, how's the book reading coming along? I'm sure you picked up a lot of juicy details," Ino looked encouragingly at her, after they'd finished ordering. Sakura blushed, nodding.

"Yeah, I have actually," she replied.

"So, did you come across something you can use, to get him to notice you?" Ino quietly leaned forward.

"Not really. It suggests wearing the shortest dress possible, with enough cleavage showing, always works, but I couldn't do that," Sakura, embarrassed, whispered back.

"Well, judging by your breast size, I doubt that'd work," Ino teased, earning a glare.

"There's nothing wrong with my breast size," Sakura defensively shot back.

"Whatever. As long as you have something, that's all that matters. Although, you could try it. The cleavage display and the short dress, I mean. Maybe he's the type to fall for it. The fact he worships the Icha Icha series isn't a secret. I'm sure there's a pervert inside, ready to pounce," Ino looked thrilled at the idea. Sakura was saved from replying, as the waiter approached with their order and they started to eat…

* * *

><p>"Is this really necessary?" Kakashi asked, following two of the Leaf Village's strongest ninja begrudgingly into the restaurant.<p>

"Yes," Naruto cheerfully replied. Sasuke smirked, recalling how they'd managed, for the very first time ever, to catch him off guard. He'd been snoozing on a tree branch in Training Ground 2, that stupid porn book covering his face, when they'd shown up. When Naruto opened his mouth to wake him, Sasuke covered it, signalling at him to be quiet.

"Use the sexy jutsu," he whispered into his ear. Naruto's eyes widened before nodding silently. Sasuke stepped back, as he performed the jutsu. Unable to resist, his eyebrow cocked, as he saw Naruto's naked female form in front of him. Quickly glancing at Kakashi with his Sharingan, he saw, to his surprise, he was still fast asleep. So much for nothing getting past the Copy Ninja!

He nodded at Naruto, who moved silently towards Kakashi, quickly dropped down on top of him.

"Oh, Kakashi Sensei," Naruto's female voice moaned, as her breasts rubbed his face. Kakashi aroused immediately, staring in horror at the sight.

"What the hell!" he cried out, before it clicked.

"Naruto! Get the hell away from me," he sighed. Sasuke couldn't help it; he chuckled, making both turn in shock to face him. Naruto grinned, releasing his Jutsu, before starting to laugh.

"You should've seen your face, Kakashi Sensei! It was epic!" Naruto commented between fits of laughter.

"Kids," mumbled Kakashi jadedly.

It'd taken Naruto offering to pay, in the end, to convince him to come along. Now, here they were, seated in a restaurant, waiting for their order.

"I can't believe you fell for that," Naruto repeated for the hundredth time, looking ready to burst out laughing again.

"So, you caught me off guard. Congratulations. It took you what; let me see…seven years, before you finally achieved that. Wow…I'm impressed," Kakashi deadpanned calmly, his eyes fixed on his book.

"It wasn't my idea, anyway. It was Sasuke's," Naruto divulged.

"Is this true, Sasuke?" Kakashi enquired, slowly.

"Hmmm," Sasuke replied distracted.

"It seems hanging out with Naruto has done you wonders Sasuke. I didn't know you had it in you," Kakashi commented, amused.

"Hey, isn't that Sakura over there?" Naruto suddenly looked pointedly toward the other side of the restaurant. It was indeed Sakura, the other two saw, when they followed his gaze.

"Do you think she's here with her boyfriend?" Naruto added, when they couldn't see who she was with.

"Sakura has a boyfriend?" Kakashi casually turned back to his book.

"We're not sure, but we think so," Naruto answered still straining to see the person with her. Then their food arrived and they started to eat…

* * *

><p>Sakura stared, wide eyed, as she listened to Ino make plans for her coming meeting with Iruka.<p>

"You can't be serious? Do you really think he's going to fall for that?" she asked, astonished.

"Of course, he is. He's a guy with a dick, after all." Ino stated, as if it explained everything.

"You're really going to mix Viagra in his drink?" Sakura asked, uncertainly.

"Look, I've heard from other guys that Iruka Sensei can't handle alcohol, so it should be easy. Once his dick flares up, he'll stop thinking rationally and I can make my move. Once he gets a taste, he'll automatically come back for more," she answered, confident.

"Isn't that like cheating?" Sakura was hesitant.

"These are simple tactics. In seduction, there are no rules, sometimes you have to play dirty," Ino replied, stating fact.

"Poor Iruka Sensei," Sakura felt a pang of sympathy for him. He was unquestionably going to receive the shock of his life.

"Isn't that Naruto, over there?" Ino asked, catching a glimpse of blond hair. Sakura looked over, seeing not only Naruto, but Sasuke and Kakashi, as well, eating at a table on the other side of the restaurant.

"Yeah, it is. He's with Sasuke and Kakashi Sensei," she replied. As if sensing their gaze, Naruto looked over, waving.

"Let's go and say hello." Ino got up.

"I guess I have no choice," Sakura mumbled, following her to their table.

"Hey guys!" Ino sat smoothly down, between Sasuke and Naruto, leaving Sakura the remaining seat, directly opposite Kakashi.

"Hey, Sakura, Ino," replied a grinning Naruto.

"I didn't know any of you were coming out, tonight," Sakura remarked, sitting down. Her leg brushed against Kakashi's, as she moved her chair closer to the table, and he looked up from his book.

"Feeling better, Sakura?" his voice hinted amusement. She nodded nervously, not trusting herself to speak, as she moved her leg, discreetly, away from his.

"So, where're you heading now, since you've finished eating. We're going to that new bar. Do you want to come along?" Ino casually invited.

"Sure, why not" Naruto grinned.

"Whatever," Sasuke added.

"I think I'll call it a night," Kakashi turned a page in the book.

"Come on, Kakashi Sensei! Don't be such a spoilsport. At least for a little while," Naruto coaxed. Soon, both Ino and Sakura joined in, trying to convince Kakashi. It was Sakura's teary eyes and pout, in the end, that did it.

"Fine. One hour, that's it," he gave up. They cheered in victory, excluding Sasuke, who just sat looking uninterested, …

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><p>AN: Hope you're enjoyed reading this chapter. Please review… ^_^


	4. A Morning Full of Surprises

A/N: A big thank you to all who have read this story and reviewed! I really enjoyed reading them…A special thanks to Tazicat12 for all her great help especially the great ideas…

As for Namikaze777 – Of course I'm going to direct a comment at you, who wouldn't after what you said. Quote: 'yeah...for ur sake, I hope ur nothing like ur characters or stories. buh bye!'

Any idiot could make out what you were trying to imply. Look, I couldn't care less if you approve of the storyline or not, because frankly, it's none of your business. Everyone else is enjoying it and not whining about irrelevant things, so why are you? Whether I choose to write about whores, gay people, virgins fucking random people, it's my choice entirely. So why don't you stop the childish talk, get the hell away from this story and concentrate on your own…

Seriously, I have no time for stupid people like you. If you have so much free time, then go fight against a better cause, because if you haven't noticed already, which you clearly haven't, there are WORSE things out there…

And now we can finally get back to the story… :D

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><p><strong>Seven Days of Seduction – Chapter 4 – A Morning Full of Surprises…<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

They stood by the bar, waiting for their orders to be processed. It seemed the place was buzzing with people, just like the last time they'd come.

"So, Kakashi Sensei, is this the first time you've come here?" asked Ino, with a bright smile.

"Hmmm," was his reply, as he read from his book.

"What do you think of it?" she asked, trying to get him to look up and show interest in what she had to say. Surprisingly, he did look up, doing a quick, lazy sweep of the place, shrugging his shoulders, before turning back to his book.

"How the hell do you put up with this guy?" Ino whispered into Sakura's ear. She just sighed and awaited the comment she knew was coming.

"I think you should be asking me how on earth I've put up these three, all this time," Kakashi commented, sounding suspiciously amused.

"I suppose you don't know that nothing gets pass Kakashi Sensei's ears," Naruto added sheepishly, taking a long sip of his sake.

"I hope you don't mean that in an insulting way, Naruto," Kakashi remarked, coolly.

"Of course not, Kakashi Sensei, you know I couldn't do that to you," Naruto replied, cheerfully, as Kakashi eyed him suspiciously, wondering if he was serious, before finally deciding not to say anything, turning his attention elsewhere.

"Someone's really quiet today and I'm not talking about Sasuke," he glancing meaningfully at the pink haired woman sitting next to Ino, four seats away.

"I'm not quiet," Sakura spoke up, turning to glare at him.

"I didn't mention any names," Kakashi pointed out, taking a sip from his mildly strong sake.

"You were obviously looking my way, Kakashi Sensei," she sighed.

"Seriously, is this how it is when your team goes out, Sakura? It's like Naruto does all the talking for the rest of you," said Ino, obviously dismayed. Everyone ignored the remark, even Naruto, who was paying close attention to the barman, watching as he mixed three different kinds of sake into a large jug.

"Hey, that looks really tempting! I think I want to try it!" he exclaimed, gesturing madly at the startled barman. Ino sighed, shaking her head.

"I think I'm ready to go home now," she commented, knocking back the last of her drink.

"Already…? But we only just got here," puzzled, Sakura started to stand.

"I've got an early start at the hospital, tomorrow, so I should get going. It's not like I'm leaving you alone here. Have fun, you guys," she said, walking away, leaving Sakura to stare after her in disbelief. When she was sure no one but Sakura was watching, Ino turned, gestured toward Kakashi and winked. Sakura glared, before turning back to her team mates.

"This is just great," she mumbled.

"What's great?" Kakashi asked, appearing suddenly next to her in the newly vacant seat.

"Hey, Sasuke, you really have to try this! It's fucking great!" Naruto said loudly, making her wince.

"No thanks" Sasuke replied, sulking.

"Come on…don't be such a wet blanket all the time! Hey, can we get another one of those over here, please," Naruto called to the barman.

"Naruto, you're such an idiot," Sasuke retorted.

"Nothing," Sakura replied, before ordering another drink.

"You know, if something's bothering you, you can always talk to me about it," Kakashi told her, after a moment of silence. She looked towards him, noticed his book lying forgotten on the counter, whilst he stared, fixedly, at her.

"There's nothing bothering me. I just feel like being quiet today," she replied, looking aimlessly over his shoulder.

"Are you sure? I think I know when my team mates are distraught. This doesn't have anything to do with what happened today, at the hospital?" he asked, concerned.

"You know about Sai and Yamato Sempai?" she asked, surprised, as he nodded.

"Like Naruto mentioned earlier, nothing gets past my ears," he responded cheerfully, as she smiled.

"He's right. You always act so oblivious, yet you're totally aware of everything going on around you," she said.

"Oh, that reminds me... What was that wink from Ino about, earlier?" he suddenly seemed very interested...

* * *

><p>Sasuke looked down in distaste at the drink Naruto had placed in front of him, before turning to glance at him.<p>

"You want me to drink this?" he repeated, as Naruto nodded, watching him keenly.

"Forget it." he replied, picking up his glass of water.

"You're so boring, Sasuke! We're in a bar, for crying out loud! Have some fucking sake!" Naruto whined.

"No chance. We have a training session in the morning and there's no way I'm turning up with a hangover," Sasuke explained, slowly, as if he was speaking to a child.

"Coward! Just admit you can't handle your drink" Naruto snapped.

"You're one to talk," Sasuke answered, coolly.

"Fine! Don't think I'll be training with you tomorrow. I'll be teaming up with Kakashi Sensei," Naruto told him, turning away.

"Idiot!" Sasuke mumbled, frowning at the drink in front of him. Suddenly, he felt so angry at everything that had happened lately; it was all he could do to restrain the urge to smash that glass into his friend's head. It was entirely his fault! He was the one to blame for the way he was feeling lately. Unaware, his right hand formed into a tight fist, as he continued to curse Naruto. Feeling wetness in his palm, he unwound the fist, seeing the blood caused by fingernails digging into skin.

A tissue appeared in his outstretched palm and he looked up to see the idiot gazing at him, with a frown on his face.

"There was no need for that," said Naruto, gesturing towards his hand. He looked away from the worry in his friend's blue eyes, to glare at the inoffensive glass in front of him.

"It's nothing," he replied, coldly, picking up the glass to knock its contents back in one go. Naruto looked on, his eyes widening, before he smirked, calling out to the barman.

"Hey mate, can we get two more over here, please?"

* * *

><p>"What are you talking about?" Sakura enquired, looking blank.<p>

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about," Kakashi replied, his eye narrowing.

"I seriously don't. You know Ino, maybe she was winking at some guy she saw," Sakura nervously pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"No, she was clearly looking at you when she did, so why won't you tell me? What have you got to hide?" he asked, observing her closely, detecting the signs of obvious discomfort.

"It's none of you business," she shot back defensively, turning back to her sake.

"Touchy, aren't we?" he responded, amused, as his attention returned to his book.

"Why do you read such rubbish?" she asked him, before she could stop herself.

"This isn't rubbish, as you very well know," he replied, searching for the page he'd been reading.

"It's nothing more than a stupid book of porn," she pointed out, ignoring his hint.

"Hmmm... I suppose it does have its fair share of written obscenity. Is that why you and your friends were buying it? All eight, to be precise?" he looked up at her. Feeling the heat radiating off her cheeks, she knew she was blushing.

"Hey, Kakashi Sensei, I think Sasuke's drunk!" Naruto called out loudly, saving her from having to think of a reply. They looked to where Naruto and Sasuke sat, frowning as they saw the number of empty glasses in front of them.

"I hope you two are aware you have training in the morning," Kakashi reminded them.

"Oh be quiet Kakashi! Don't remind me," Sasuke glared back at him. Sakura felt her mouth drop open and even Kakashi looked taken by surprise.

"See, I told you he was drunk," Naruto commented, before bursting into laughter.

"Naruto, you really are a bad influence," Kakashi remarked, exhaling loudly…

* * *

><p>Two hours of persuasion later, they'd managed to drag Naruto and Sasuke out of the bar, convincing them to go home.<p>

"You two are a bunch of sore losers…"Naruto accused, gazing, heartbroken, back at the bar.

"That's enough, Naruto," Sakura scolded, as she dragged him away.

"You're all a bunch of idiots, as far as I'm concerned!" Sasuke commented arrogantly, trying to walk straight.

"Oh, give it a rest," Kakashi put in, smacking them both on the head, receiving heated glared in return.

"That's what you get for drinking too much. Those Saketinis you were knocking back had at least 40 -50 percent ABV, so you can bet, tomorrow, you're waking up to very bad hangovers," Kakashi told them.

"Oh goody…" Sasuke retorted sarcastically, silently cursing Naruto and his stupid ways.

"We don't care, right Sasuke?" Naruto cried out drunkenly, slinging his arm around his shoulder. Sasuke tensed; at the feel of Naruto's body so close to him, horrified to feel himself leaning in to him.

*What the hell?* his head screamed, but his body had a mind of its own and wouldn't listen.

"We'll see…" Kakashi replied cheerfully…

* * *

><p>Sakura trailed slowly after the guys, trying to figure out exactly what was bothering her. Since her chat with Ino, she couldn't help but have second thoughts about the whole seduction thing. Was it right to play with the feelings of the guys involved? It was okay for Hinata, since she genuinely had feelings for Naruto. In a way, this could be the long-awaited chance for her to finally confess her feelings of love. So, where did that leave the rest of them? Ino and Tenten were more excited by the prospect than she was that much was obvious.<p>

After the way Kakashi had questioned her tonight, she was certain he smelled a rat and wouldn't put it past him finding out what was going on. If that happened, what would he think of her? Would his opinion change? Would he feel disappointed, not to mention... disgusted?

"Sakura…?"

"Hmmm…?" she replied distracted, not really paying attention to who spoke.

"I think your apartment is this way," said Kakashi, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Huh...what?" she responded, suddenly realising Naruto and Sasuke were missing. Kakashi, eyebrow raised stared back at her.

"I said, your apartment is this way," he repeated slowly, pointing in the other direction.

"Oh…right, sorry… What happened to Sasuke and Naruto?" she asked taking the correct path back to her apartment.

"We just dropped both of them off at Sasuke's," he explained, making her feel stupid.

"Oh…I didn't even notice. Are they okay?" she replied embarrassed.

"They'll live. So, are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" he glanced sideways at her, as they walked. She looked down, swallowing nervously.

"I can't really say…but there's something I want to ask you," she responded hesitantly.

"And that would be…" he pressed.

"What would you do, in a situation where you were given a mission that involved doing something you weren't sure was right, but you felt you had no choice in the matter...would you still go ahead and do it?" she looked toward him. There was silence as he pondered her words. When he did speak, it wasn't an answer she'd anticipated.

"Sometimes, life can be cruel, Sakura. We can make the wrong decisions, only to make matters worse. It's only when it's too late we think back, wishing we'd made the right decision. I've made a lot of mistakes in my past and, given the chance, I'd rectify them. I'd jump at the opportunity. You, on the other hand, are still young and very much naïve. Think carefully before making any kind of decision, especially when it concerns those close to you. Even then, if you're not sure about the answer, you have plenty of people in your life who are more than happy to help," he moved forward to affectionately ruffle her hair. She couldn't help smiling at his words, feeling her tension drift away like the wind, as she noticed they'd reached her apartment.

"Thanks for the advice and for dropping me home," she looked up at him happily. He gazed back for a few seconds, nodding once before turning away.

"Oh, and Kakashi Sensei…" she called, making him pause.

"You may have made many mistakes in the past, but that doesn't make you a bad person. Naruto, Sasuke and I, we think the world of you…always remember that," she waved before heading upstairs to her apartment. Kakashi stood still for a moment, taken aback, yet touched, by her words. Eventually, his visible eye softened, as he smiled beneath his mask.

"You guys mean the world to me too," he whispered, before disappearing in a cloud of smoke…

* * *

><p>At 6am, the next morning, Sakura waited at the usual meeting spot, but surprisingly, Sasuke and Naruto still hadn't turned up. Not really bothered, she thought about the night before, as a smile worked its way onto her face. After listening to Kakashi, she'd decided instantly he was right, there was no way she was willing to mess up what they had over a stupid idea like a seduction game.<p>

She wasn't sure about the other girls, but she no longer wanted a part in the game. It wasn't worth it. Ino would, no doubt, be furious, may go so far as call her coward and many other things, but she wasn't bothered by this. It was better than making a mistake, then looking back in ten years, if she lived that long, only to regret the decision. She didn't want to hear the pain and regret in her own voice, like she'd heard in Kakashi's, last night.

"Yo," said Kakashi, behind her, making her jump. Her eyes widened, shooting instantly to her wrist watch.

"I don't believe it! You're only ten minutes late!" she exclaimed loudly, astonished, feeling like a miracle had occurred.

"I see Sasuke and Naruto didn't turn up. No surprise there, I guess," he commented, ignoring her outburst. Feeling a hand, suddenly, on his forehead, he froze, looking down at Sakura as she frowned in concentration.

"You don't have a fever…" she mumbled, looking thoughtful.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, eyebrow rising questioningly.

"I'm just trying to work out if you're ill or something," she explained.

"Training Ground 2. See you there," he replied cheerfully, before disappearing. She observed the empty spot where he'd stood only seconds earlier, before shaking her head lightly.

Five minutes later, she walked into Training Ground 2 and spotted him leaning against a tree, with his book open.

"I see you finally made it," he said, snapping his book shut as he turned to face her.

"Shouldn't we go and check up on Sasuke and Naruto?" she asked.

"Forget about those two. I'm going to teach you a new Jutsu today," he replied.

"A new Jutsu? Really?" she replied, looking excited as he nodded.

"It's a Genjutsu…" he began…

* * *

><p>Sasuke turned over in bed with a groan, instantly flinching at the sunlight pouring through the window. Quickly, he realized he'd forgotten to draw the curtains the night before. Cursing silently, he got out of bed, instantly tripping over something warm, to land, not so graciously, on the carpeted floor.<p>

"What the fuck?" an all too familiar, loud voice came from behind him and, annoyed, he looked at the idiot lying there, curled up with one of his pillows and his duvet.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded.

"Get rid of the fucking light," Naruto moaned, covering his face with the pillow. It was then Sasuke got a good look at him, noticing his state of undress.

"Why, the fuck, are you naked?" he exclaimed in disbelief, before looking down, finally noticing he was naked, as well. Receiving no answer from the knucklehead, he got up to close the curtains before settling down on the bed, in shock. Memories of the night before came back slowly...visions of him, pushing Naruto up against the apartment door, them kissing, before clothes came off, and then...it was a big blank.

It was a long time before he could snap out of those memories and run his hand, nervously, through his hair. He felt anxious, probably for the first time in his life, as he looked toward the idiot sleeping, totally oblivious to what had happened, on the floor...

* * *

><p>AN: Well there you have it…Chapter 4 completed and now I can finally get some sleep. By the way, if any of you are wondering what Saketini is – it's like a Japanese cocktail made with three different kinds of sake.

Please review and hopefully if I have time tomorrow I will update…See you in the next chapter ^_^


	5. A New Plan of Action!

A/N: Hey…hope you guys are doing okay? I got some really nice feedback for the last chapter, though quite a few of you were taken aback (bemused) by the Naruto and Sasuke episode! Thank you so much for the lovely reviews. I enjoyed reading each and every single one of them…

A big thank you to Tazicat12, for kindly, offering to proof read this story! I appreciate all the help you've been giving me, since I've started writing this story…

I really can't be bothered with your nonsense anymore Namikaze777, so why don't you just run along. I wasn't expecting you to resort to such lame comebacks, but what else can be expected from someone so pathetic?

This chapter's longer than the rest… Please enjoy :D

* * *

><p><strong>Seven Days of Seduction – Chapter 5 – A New Plan of Action!<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

Once the shock wore off, Sasuke instantly flinched, clutching his throbbing head. Kakashi hadn't been exaggerating about the hangover, he discovered, to his annoyance. Looking again at the idiot on the carpet, he resisted the urge to kick him, instead heading to the kitchen in search of pain relievers.

*Did we really have drunken sex?* His mind repeatedly probed the question. He hadn't caught the aroma of sex coming from him, or the bed, so there was a chance it had only been something less serious. Trying to recall details of what happened only made his head pound harder, so he gave up. Swallowing the pain killers, he placed the empty glass down, deciding to go back to sleep. It was too late for training anyway; because, knowing Kakashi and Sakura, they would have started without them.

But, as his head hit the pillow and his eyes closed, a sudden thought made him sit up instantly. What was Naruto's reaction going to be, when he woke to the realization of what had happened between them? The image, alone, had him swallowing heavily, as fear awakened deep inside. What if Naruto, disgusted, refused to be near him? Then what? He would lose the one precious person who was the world to him, his reason for living, the one, he knew, he couldn't live without.

His eyes widened at the train of his thoughts, wondering what the hell they meant…

* * *

><p>"Well done, Sakura! I knew you could do it," said Kakashi, with a hint of a smile, after witnessing her perform the new Genjutsu he'd taught her. She'd perfected it after only three hours and, looking very proud, she sat, panting heavily, on the ground.<p>

"I did it!" She grinned stupidly.

"This should be enough to make Sasuke and Naruto regret missing their training today," Kakashi told her, delighting in the image of their reactions. Sasuke would pretend he wasn't bothered, while Naruto would sulk for the next two days.

"Oh, yeah, I can already hear Naruto whining for the next few days," Sakura sighed, recalling what happened the last time they'd missed training. In retaliation, Kakashi had taught her a new Ninjutsu. When Naruto found out, he'd literally sulked for a week until Kakashi gave in and taught him a new Jutsu as well.

"So, don't you have to be at the hospital today?" Kakashi enquired pulling out his new Icha Icha Seduction.

"Yeah, I'm going to head over there in an hour or so. I need to check up on Sai and Yamato Sempai," she answered, hoping Yamato Sempai was conscious.

"I see. Well, I was planning to go see them today, so I might see you there," he replied.

"They'll like that. We don't see much of them anymore, since they've resumed ANBU duty. It's been a while since we've had a mission together," she commented sadly, brushing her clothes for lingering pieces of grass as she stood.

"Hmmm," he responded, as they began walking out of the training grounds…

* * *

><p>An hour later, Sakura stood in Yamato's room with Tsunade. Though still unconscious, there were definite signs he was improving. Colour was returning to his face and his vital signs were developing well, so it was only a matter of time before he woke.<p>

"Everything's coming along nicely, isn't it?" Sakura commented, smiling in relief.

"Yes, he was very lucky. The others are looking much better as well" Tsunade responded, signalling towards the door. Sakura nodded and they walked out together.

"I haven't discussed this with Kakashi yet, but I'll have to send Team Seven to take care of those Rogue Ninja. We can't let this threat linger too long and you're the best team we've got," Tsunade explained, as they walked to her office.

"I understand. When do you want us to leave?" Sakura asked.

"I'm waiting for Yamato to wake up, in case he has any important information about the enemy. Judging by the improvement in his condition, I'd say in a day or two," Tsunade replied, pushing open her office door, as they walked in.

"Kakashi Sensei said he was dropping by today, so you can talk to him then," Sakura answered…

* * *

><p>He was drinking a mug of coffee, in the kitchen, when he heard a moan from the bedroom.<p>

"Fucking headache…" he heard Naruto complain, followed by a long pause, as he waited for the outburst he knew was coming.

"Why the fuck, am I naked?" Naruto yelled, appearing in the kitchen only seconds later with his boxers on, hair disarrayed and eyes filled with confusion.

"Sasuke…what the hell happened?" he asked, massaging his forehead.

"You ended up sleeping here last night, you had too much to drink remember?" Sasuke replied, handing him a glass of water and two pain killers.

"Really? That explains the hangover. Hey wait, why the hell, was I naked?" he asked suddenly recalling the state he'd woken up in.

"Don't you remember what happened last night?" Sasuke avoided looking at him. There was silence and the uneasiness inside him increased.

"Um…no…I don't remember a thing…So what did happen?" Naruto asked, taking the glass of water and tablets off him.

"Nothing. You barged in, stripped off all your clothes then fell into bed. That's all I remember," Sasuke lied. Naruto frowned, tried to remember and then gave up when he recalled nothing.

"Guess we missed training again, huh? I bet Kakashi Sensei taught Sakura some new Jutsu to get back at us," he complained, resigned. Sasuke carelessly shrugged his shoulders, unconcerned, before turning to face him. Then he saw the love bites on Naruto's neck and almost dropped his mug of coffee.

"I think I need a piss," Naruto added, heading towards the bathroom…

* * *

><p>Ino's face had a huge smile, as she walked around, tending to hospital business. Already, some of her colleagues had noticed her good mood, and questioned her, only to get an evasive answer.<p>

"It's a secret."

She was really anticipating tonight, knowing she'd succeed with no problem, with the added bonus of one-upping Sakura as the icing on the cake. Just recalling her expression yesterday, when she told her she had a date with Iruka Sensei tonight, made Ino's smile grow. No doubt about it, she had more chance of achieving success in the seduction game than any of the other girls. Tenten, maybe, had a faint chance, but Sakura and Hinata were hopeless.

Naruto and Kakashi would never consider being with them, let alone seduced, and since neither girl had what it took to play dirty, obviously they'd be unsuccessful. Still, she'd continue helping them as much as she could; after all, they were her friends.

"Hey, Ino!" she heard a familiar voice behind her. She looked up, pausing as she checked a patient's chart, to see Sakura approaching her, looking, she judged from the frown on her face, slightly worried.

"Sakura, how's it going? So, did anything juicy happen last night?" she looked expectantly at her.

"Um…I need to talk to you…about you know what," Sakura replied, troubled.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Ino asked, becoming curious.

"I don't think I can do this. It doesn't seem right," Sakura responded hesitantly, knowing, deep down, that Ino was going to flip.

"What do you mean, you can't do this? You were given the chance to back off Sakura, after I clearly stated what you had to do, and you still accepted. So what's happened now? What made you change your mind?" Ino demanded, annoyed.

"It's because it's him Ino. I can't do that to Kakashi Sensei. Sooner or later, he's going to find out about this, and then what? He'll be disappointed, probably more than a little disgusted. I won't play with the feelings of someone I care for and risk destroying the trust we have," she firmly replied. Ino was speechless at her outburst, but soon her features twisted in anger.

"You know what; I think I know exactly what's going on here. You're just trying to get out of this, aren't you? These are all just pitiful excuses to cover up the main one. In other words you're just a coward, Sakura; you just don't have what it takes to do this. I really don't see what all the fuss is about. You're only attempting to seduce the guy, for crying out loud!" Ino shot back in frustration. Sakura glared back, before glancing to see if anyone was near, to her relief seeing no one.

"It's not that I don't have what it takes. If I wanted, I could, without resorting to a dirty trick like mixing Viagra into his drink. The only problem is, I don't want to, that's all," Sakura coolly replied. Ino's eyes narrowed, before raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow to give her a challenging look.

"I don't care what you say, Sakura, because, as of now, this is officially a challenge to see who succeeds first. You may have surpassed me in rank, qualified as a better Medical Ninja, but in the end, that's all you have, and frankly, it isn't enough. Face it; this is one thing you can never succeed in, because, as I've said, you simply don't have what it takes!" she replied proudly. Sakura stared back, completely stunned.

I'll see you later, Sakura," she added sweetly, walking off. Sakura stood frozen, for what seemed an eternity. Eventually, her legs started moving, taking her down the corridor toward Tsunade's office. As she turned the corner, she froze, staring wide eyed, at the person casually leaning against the wall.

"Hello Sakura," Kakashi calmly greeted her, looking up from the book in his hands, before falling silent. Her first thought was – did he overhear the conversation between her and Ino? She tried to judge by the look in his eye and body language, but couldn't tell.

"K-Kakashi Sensei…what are you doing here?" she enquired with fake enthusiasm.

"Oh, I was just on my way to see Tsunade when I heard the most interesting conversation," he replied cheerfully, narrowing his visible eye at her. She swallowed nervously and looked away, feeling his eye on her. The ability to think of a reply had deserted her. All she could do was stare at the ground, looking guilty, waiting for him to speak. Since this was Kakashi, there was no telling how he'd react.

"So, are you going to tell me what this is all about?" he asked.

"Kakashi, just the man I needed to see," said Tsunade, suddenly appearing out of nowhere and Sakura couldn't help sighing in relief.

"I was just coming to see you when I bumped into Sakura," Kakashi explained, placing his book back into his pouch.

"Did Sakura tell you about the mission I have for you?" Tsunade asked, gesturing to her office as they followed her.

"No," Kakashi replied, glancing sideways at Sakura, who looked straight ahead.

"I see," she began and quickly filled him in on the mission.

"So, when do you think Yamato will wake up?" Kakashi asked, several minutes later.

"I'm guessing in a day or two, maybe sooner. He appears to be recovering quite remarkably," Tsunade replied, looking satisfied.

"I'll inform Naruto and Sasuke about the mission. Did any of the others mention anything important about these Rogue Ninja?" he enquired.

"I think it's best for you to talk to Sai directly, to hear his account of what happened" she replied. He nodded in agreement.

"That's all for now. I'm headed back to the Hokage Tower, so I'm relying on you Sakura to take care of things here," Tsunade added, looking at Sakura, who nodded.

"As you wish, Lady Tsunade" she replied, following her outside, with Kakashi right behind her. Now was her chance to escape, while Lady Tsunade was still about; once she was gone, then she would be at his mercy.

"Not so fast!" she heard a voice in her ear, as he grabbed her arm, stopping her. Feeling a strange shiver down her spine at his touch, she froze, unable to move. Watching helplessly as Tsunade walked further away from them, she called out to her without thinking and the hand around her arm vanished. Lady Tsunade turned around and looked back at her.

"What is it Sakura?" she called, and breathing another sigh of relief, Sakura made her escape…

* * *

><p>Ino wandered into the bar at 7pm, looking around to spot him sitting on a barstool, with a glass of water in front of him. Frowning at his choice of drink, she headed toward him confidently. Recalling her reflection, in the full length mirror in her bedroom, she smirked. Nothing could save him from her tonight!<p>

Her blue, sleeveless dress hugged her figure perfectly, stopping just above her thighs. Its plunging neckline showed off her well formed breasts, leaving little to the imagination. It was easily one of her favourite dresses and no male out there could resist her when she wore it. No doubt about it, she was winning this challenge, prepared to do whatever it took to beat Sakura!

"Hey, Iruka Sensei," she said, smoothly sitting down in the seat next to him. He looked towards her with a smile, almost falling off his seat when he laid eyes on her.

"Uh…Ino, I almost didn't recognise you," Iruka stammered awkwardly.

"Oh really…? Last time I checked, I still looked the same," she replied teasingly. Iruka nervously coughed, obviously uncomfortable.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" he asked as he eyed his glass, suddenly finding it a lot more interesting to look at.

"Well, where do I start Iruka Sensei…it's just that everything seems to be going wrong at the moment. Everyone around me knows exactly where they're going in life, even Shikamaru and Choji, but I don't have any idea. I can't really talk to any of them, because they hardly ever have the time, and, even if I did, they wouldn't understand," she told him, seeming genuinely upset. In a way, she wasn't lying; it was more or less the truth. He turned to face her, an understanding smile on his face.

"You know what? You remind me of myself, when I was your age. I had exactly the same problem. It was long before I became a teacher here at the Academy. All my friends were busy with other things, after I graduated to Chunin; some joined ANBU, while the majority wanted to become Jounin. I was in a predicament about what to do, you see. I couldn't see myself as a Jounin or in ANBU and, for a long time, I felt unsettled, like I hadn't completed some personal goal.

In the end, I decided to be patient, taking my time to figure out what I wanted. There was no rush. Like they say; some opportunities take longer than others. It was the Third Hokage who convinced me to apply as an Academy teacher, and soon I realized it was the right place for me. You see, sometimes it's best to simply wait, if you're not sure and get advice from someone who'll understand.

Though, like I mentioned yesterday, I believe you're a good Medical Ninja. I know you love your job, so keep at it. Don't worry about what others are doing around you, just concentrate on yourself and what you want," he told her kindly. She felt an unpleasant feeling descend, which she recognised as guilt. Quickly, she brushed it aside, without letting it take over.

"You're right. I do love my job, even if I'm not as good at it as Sakura. It's just the fear of being left behind that makes me feel like I'm not doing as well as I should," she replied, feigning a hint of insecurity in her voice.

"Rivalry…it definitely has its pros and cons, doesn't it? Almost reminds me of the good old days, with Naruto and Sasuke, back in the Academy. I wouldn't worry too much, Ino. You're doing quite well for yourself and if Asuma Sensei was here, he'd say the same thing," Iruka responded with a smile. She suddenly smiled, as if a huge burden had dropped from her shoulders, and, much to his astonishment, moved forward to hug him.

"I feel so much better after talking to you, Iruka Sensei! You understand me so well," she said. After pressing her breasts against him a little longer, she moved back, looking cheerful. There was a hint of blush on Iruka's face as he picked up his glass, downing half of the water.

"Why are you drinking water?" she asked, pouting slightly.

"Oh, I'm not really too good with alcohol," he responded, laughing nervously as he put his glass down.

"Don't be silly, Iruka Sensei. At least have one," she remarked, trying to sway him, but he shook his head.

"That wouldn't be appropriate, Ino. I have classes to teach at the academy tomorrow," he replied.

"One glass won't do you any damage, Iruka Sensei, so lighten up and have some fun for a change" she commented gleefully.

"I really shouldn't…" he began.

"Please…for me," she pleaded, giving him the irresistible puppy dog eyes. Eventually, he gave in with a sigh, nodding.

"Fine…only one though," he answered firmly.

"Two large Saketinis over here, please," she called to the barman, who took one look at her and eagerly moved to do her bidding.

"What? I can't be drinking that!" Iruka voiced instantly, eyes widening in panic.

"You said you'll have one, but you didn't specifically say which one," she replied mischievously…

* * *

><p>Sakura stepped out of the hospital, noticing that the sky had already darkened. It wasn't a big shock though. Since her escape from Kakashi, she'd wandered the hospital in a constant state of nerves, expecting him to jump out of nowhere to confront her. It'd taken most of her attention. Even now, walking home, her eyes roamed tensely, expecting him to materialize.<p>

She didn't realise her pace had quickened. By the time she saw her apartment, her urge to get inside was so strong, she was almost running. Taking the stairs two at a time, she didn't stop until she'd reached her apartment door, unlocked it quickly and closed it shut behind her before sighing in relief. When her breathing finally calmed, she pushed the light switch, enveloping the room in light. As she turned away, looking toward the room, she froze.

"Yo," said Kakashi, a welcoming hand raised. He was lying on her sofa, with his feet up, looking very comfortable. Lazily, he swung his legs down, sitting up before turning to look at her. They locked eyes for a long time, until, unable to stare any more, she looked away. Sighing, she headed toward the kitchen.

"I'm making some hot chocolate, do you want some?" she called out, wearily.

"Sure, with those little marshmallows you have tucked away," he answered cheerfully, making her pause before storming back the way she'd come.

"Have you been searching through my things?" she demanded, angrily. He looked up from his opened Icha Icha, giving her a bored look.

"I got hungry," was his reply. She stared at him, trying to decide whether to cry or beat the hell out of him. Taking deep breaths, she forced herself to calm down and returned to the kitchen. Shortly, she'd prepared the chocolate, deliberately filling hers with marshmallows and putting none in his. Turning to the fridge, she peeked inside to see if anything was missing, staring miserably at the empty spot where she'd left a big slice of chocolate fudge cake. Her eyes murderous, she closed the fridge, turning to find one of the mugs missing. Rushing over, she looked into the remaining mug, only to find no marshmallows.

Cursing under her breath, she picked up her mug and left the kitchen. He looked as cool as a cucumber when she looked at him. She resisted the urge to give him a much deserved punch, instead sitting down in the armchair nearby, waiting for the confrontation she knew was coming. She squinted at the mug, filled of marshmallows, on the small table next to the sofa, before turning her glare on him. Sensing her gaze, he looked up, closing the book in his hand.

"You didn't think I was going to let you run off so easily, did you?" he commented casually, iciness lurking in his tone as he eyed her.

"Not really, I expected you to pop up sooner or later," she replied sarcastically, ignoring the need to run. She didn't want to think about what was happening. If she did, she'd have a nervous breakdown.

"Hmmm, is that so," he looked thoughtful.

"So, you'll tell me exactly what's going on here, and why I'm involved?" he continued, looking steadily at her.

"It doesn't matter anymore. It's not like I'm going ahead with it," she looked down, intently, at the floor.

"Even so…I still want to know," he pressed.

"Ino came up with a stupid idea and we went along with it. I didn't know I'd pick you, of all people. Then, I decided I couldn't go through with it. It wasn't worth spoiling things between us," she replied quietly.

"What kind of idea?" he asked casually and she blushed.

"I can't really say," she replied lamely.

"What kind of idea?" he repeated.

"It was…um…a plan to seduce the guy we picked," she managed to utter with difficulty, the red deepening on her cheeks. There was silence, as she stared apprehensively, at the same spot she'd been staring at since sitting down. She was dying to see his reaction, but there was nothing, absolutely nothing at this moment, that could make her look up.

"I see…so who else is involved with this 'plan' of yours and who have they picked," he asked, eventually.

"I can't say," she mumbled.

"You know I'll find out, so why not save me the trouble of looking," he responded and she thought she detected a hint of amusement. Was he finding this funny?

"I'm afraid I can't," she replied, getting up to head towards her bedroom. Before she reached it, she felt a hand on her arm and stopped.

"Kakashi Sensei, I really can't say. You're going to have to find out for yourself," she tried to pull away from his unbreakable grip.

"What are you planning to do about the challenge Ino gave you?" he asked and she went still, before turning to face him.

"I already told you, I'm not going ahead with it…" she began but stopped when she saw the look in his eye. Was she seeing things? Was that a look of interest there? Deciding she was seeing things, she tore her eyes away, starting to pull away from him again.

"Why not?" he asked, nonchalantly and once more she froze. This guy had an uncanny way of shocking everyone he came in contact with, sometimes not in a good way.

"W-what did you say?" she questioned, positive her hearing was playing tricks on her.

"I said why not?" he repeated. Her eyes popped open in shock.

"W-what do you mean by that?" she asked slowly, as the amusement returned to his visible eye.

"We can't have you losing to your rival so easily," he replied casually…

* * *

><p>Iruka eyed the large glass of Saketini with obvious discomfort, as Ino observed him closely. It was strange how he was getting so worked up over one drink. Nevertheless, she had more pressing issues, like how to put the Viagra into his drink without him noticing.<p>

"Come on Iruka Sensei try it…you know you want to," she gave him an encouraging look. He swallowed nervously before picking it up to take a cautious sip.

"Take it easy if you want. There's no hurry," she teased.

"It's nice," he remarked, with a small smile, after putting the glass back down. Ino drank from her own, still scheming silently. Eventually, an idea came to her. She opened her clutch bag, took the capsule out, and then put on the show of dropping the bag onto the floor.

"Oops," she said, moving as if to pick it up, displaying her cleavage.

"Here, I'll get it for you" Iruka volunteered quickly, bending down to get it, a blush appearing on his face. While he was distracted, when she was sure no one was looking, she vigilantly dropped the capsule into his drink. He sat back up without noticing and drank some more. She held her breath, waiting to see if he'd detected anything, but, when he set the glass down, there was no suspicion on his face.

"So, Iruka Sensei, there is something I've been meaning to ask you. Why don't you have a girlfriend?" she asked brightly.

"Oh um…I don't know. Maybe because I don't have the time," he replied, going red again.

"That's just silly, Iruka Sensei. A smart, dashing and understanding guy like you must have all kinds of women after him. Maybe you should give it a go, after all…you only live once," she flirted with a wink. He cleared his throat, occupying himself with taking more sips. Already, she could tell the drink was affecting him. His eyes were much brighter than they were several minutes ago. It was only a matter of time before he lost track of all rational thought.

"I suppose I haven't really thought about it…" he mumbled, after some time.

"You really should consider it. I know plenty of women who'd be happy to be with you," she replied mischievously. His face blushed redder, if it was possible. The conversation continued, the minutes ticking by, and with each one, her keen eyes detected him looking increasingly uncomfortable.

"What's wrong Iruka Sensei? You don't look so good," Ino remarked, faking concern.

"It's nothing…" he replied a little too quickly.

"Are you sure?" her eyes narrowed at him, as he nodded.

"Excuse me for a second Ino…I need to use the bathroom," he mumbled quickly, hurrying away before she could reply. With a smirk, she picked up her glass and downed the contents.

*Let the fun begin…* she thought to herself and ordered another round of drinks…

* * *

><p>"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting, Kakashi Sensei?" she asked, astonished. Kakashi let go of her arm, shrugging carelessly.<p>

"Maybe," he replied amused. She glared back, not amused in the least.

"I seriously think there's something wrong with you today. You're not behaving like yourself. First, you were only ten minutes late in the morning, and now you're agreeing to be seduced by me!" she shook her head in disbelief. She heard him chuckle as she turned, heading toward her bedroom.

"I think this discussion is over," she called back over her shoulder.

"Maybe Ino is right and you simply don't have what it takes," he shot back and she paused. Suddenly, a loud bird squawk was heard from outside the window, and they instantly turned toward it.

"I think we've just been summoned," he remarked cheerfully, disappearing in a cloud of smoke…

* * *

><p>Team Seven stood in the Hokage's office as Lady Tsunade glanced tiredly at each of them.<p>

"I'm sorry for summoning you so late, but it's important. I've received word that Yamato is awake and ready to speak to you, Kakashi. I assume you've spoken with Sai and the others?" she asked, looking at him as he nodded in response.

"Good, I want you to set off in the morning and get it over with as soon as you can. Sai will cast an Ink Clone that'll direct you to where they were ambushed. I'll let the four of you take it from there. Any questions?" she asked.

"No" came the answer.

"Kakashi and Sakura, you two will head for the hospital to speak with Yamato. As for you, Naruto and Sasuke, you're dismissed. Make sure you get plenty of rest tonight," she said, waving them off. Team Seven left the Hokage's office, making their way outside, where they made plans to meet up at 6am, by the village gate. Sasuke and Naruto took off, leaving them to make their way to the hospital.

As they walked, Sakura kept her distance, still annoyed by his earlier remark. From his body language, he either wasn't concerned or putting on an act. There was no telling with him, that much she's learned over the past seven years. He did seem to get the hint that she was upset with him, so he didn't bother to chat, knowing she'd ignore him.

In Yamato's hospital room, they listened as he told them all he knew, which wasn't much. The Rogue Ninja hadn't been wearing headbands and had all wore masks, so their identities were unknown. They were very strong. One was a powerful Genjutsu user, another an Earth style, then, there'd been a ninja with a sword, who'd moved so fast he hadn't been able to detect his attack until it was too late.

"Be careful, Kakashi. They'll be expecting some form of attack and there's a chance they could anticipate that the Leaf Village might send you guys," Yamato spoke with obvious difficulty.

"That's enough, Yamato Sempai. You need rest," Sakura put in firmly. Yamato gave a small smile, closing his eyes tiredly. Kakashi watched, as she quickly read through his patient chart, before putting it down. She fiddled with some of the machinery, before pointing to the door. They walked out quietly. He waited, patiently, as she exchanged words with one of the duty nurses, before turning to him.

"You didn't have to wait," she pointed out, as they walked out of the hospital together.

"No I didn't," he agreed.

"So why did you? Is there anything else you wanted to add, to that earlier remark" she replied bitterly. She felt his gaze on her, but continued to look straight ahead.

"Did it upset you?" he asked, casually. She chose to ignore the question, to make him feel bad.

"I'm sorry," he added, after a moment of silence. She continued to ignore him, to his amusement.

"I know I'm forgiven, so you can stop your little charade," he added.

"You think you know me so well, don't you?" she shot back, glaring at him.

"Hmmm…considering I've known you for the past seven years, I'd like to think so," he answered easily.

"You can be so annoying sometimes," she replied resigned.

"Is that so? And here I thought I was a very nice person," he remarked coolly.

"It's possible for a person to be nice as well as annoying, in case you didn't know," she reminded him.

"Hmmm," he said.

"Did you really mean that earlier? The whole seduction thing?" she asked, unable to stop herself. So many questions had danced in her head since their exchange in her apartment and the need to voice them was great.

"I didn't get a chance to explain, earlier, so I might as well do it now. I heard your conversation with Ino, putting two and two together. I realised your question last night referred to this plan and knew you wouldn't be able to go ahead with it. I'd have agreed that was best, but then I heard Ino's challenge, so I came up with a simple solution," he responded. At this point, they'd arrived at her apartment, but she made no move to go inside.

"What solution?" she asked curiously.

"We'll just put on an act," he replied, straight to the point.

"I don't understand," she looked confused.

"It's simple. We'll just put on a good act in front of the other girls, proving that you really are seducing me, like you originally planned. This way, you'll win the challenge and everyone's happy," he explained cheerfully. Her mouth dropped in surprise, as his words sank in.

"I don't get it…why would you help me?" she asked, shocked.

"I thought it was obvious, Sakura. We are friends, after all," he replied casually. Her face softened into a smile before she moved to surprise him with a hug.

"Thank you. This means so much," she sounded genuinely happy. He just stood still, until she realised what she was doing and stepped back, blushing slightly.

"Um…sorry about that" she said, embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it," he replied, tapping her lightly on the head.

"I'll see you in the morning, Kakashi Sensei. Don't be late," she said in parting, before walking away. He waited until the light turned on in her apartment, before moving to leave…

* * *

><p>Ino waited for ten whole minutes, before a wasted looking Iruka eventually turned up.<p>

"There you are. I was wondering where you'd disappeared to," Ino remarked, as he awkwardly sat down.

"I-I think now would be the best time to go home, Ino. I'm not feeling too good," he slurred slightly. He was drunk; there was no doubt about it.

"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport Iruka Sensei. We only just got here," she replied, leaning closer to him.

"I'm sorry Ino, but I really have to go, right now," he answered, eyes glazed over. She watched him make a move to rise, and stood to stop him, but somehow he tripped, landing on top of her. His weight caused her to fall, landing on the ground to lay motionless beneath him. He lifted his face from her neck, looking shocked. She, on the other hand, was aware of only one thing; the bulge between his legs that pressed against her. Her breath hitched, her body instinctively moving upward, closer, as her body felt the familiar sensations of excitement. His eyes popped open in horror when he realised what she was doing. He moved off her instantly.

"I'm sorry." he mumbled apologetically, as he stood up with difficulty. She got up too, on trembling legs, leaning against the seat.

"It's okay," she replied, slightly flushed.

"I should get going," he managed to say, turning quickly, only to lose his footing once more, to land directly on top of something warm and solid.

"Yo," said Kakashi.

"Kakashi, is that you?" asked Iruka, lifting his head up from his back.

"Hello Iruka…I see I turned up at the right time," Kakashi replied, looking directly at Ino, who looked away quickly.

"It was good that you did," Iruka mumbled, words slurring considerably, before he passed out.

"What did you give him?" Kakashi asked, eye slightly narrowing

"W-What do you mean? He only had one Saketini," Ino replied nervously.

"That's not what I meant. What did you give him?" Kakashi demanded in a chill voice.

"N-nothing," she fearfully responded. There was silence as she stared at the floor, resisting the urge to escape.

"Mixing Viagra in someone's drink, without their knowledge is a disgusting form of betrayal. I'd never have expected a student of Asuma's being capable of implementing such a cheap stunt, especially on someone close to them," Kakashi remarked coldly. Her expression dropping at his words, she turned away, shamefaced. He lifted Iruka off his back, before tossing him gently over his shoulder.

"I suggest you think carefully, before taking a similar step in the future. There's no need to do things the wrong way, when you can approach them honestly and not feel any regret later," he added, before walking away toward the exit…

* * *

><p>Hinata sat by the fire, Tenten beside her, as Guy and Lee snored away in their tent nearby. In their hands the second of the Icha Icha books were opened, as they scanned the pages closely. At one point, she looked up; a dreamy smile on her face, after reading a short story about a woman who'd loved her friend from childhood to adulthood. In the end, when she'd confessed her love, it turned out he had similar feelings, before they made love, passionately. She loved stories with happy endings, wishing, from the bottom of her heart, that her love story would have one too.<p>

Unlike Ino and Tenten, she hadn't gone along with this plan because she had to. She realised, if she'd picked someone else, she couldn't have continued. Her feelings for Naruto was too strong, had built up considerably over the years. It was impossible for her to forget them so quickly. So, when her fingers had grasped that particular slip of paper, she'd known right away whose name was on it. Her heart had begun pounding instantly, like it always did when anything related to Naruto came up. Still, when she saw it with her own eyes, she couldn't hold back the shock and fainted.

Later, when she thought about it, it hit her. What if one of the girls had picked him instead? What would have happened then? When the feelings of dread and jealousy had surfaced, it'd surprised her. It was the first time, ever, she'd felt such emotions, and they weren't pleasant. Even back in the days when Naruto ran after Sakura, she'd never felt that way, so why was she experiencing these sensations now? Could it be that she was getting desperate, for the first time wanting her feelings returned?

It wasn't a secret that Naruto was desirable to many of the single women in the world. Everyone knew who he was, especially after the events of the Fourth Shinobi World War. The surprise was that he was still single and showing no signs of changing anytime soon. It could also be that he was still in love with Sakura….

* * *

><p>Tenten looked up from her book, glancing sideways at Hinata, who'd been very quiet for the past hour or so. Judging by the worried look on her face, she knew the cause had to be Naruto. She still couldn't believe how far that kid had come, even after witnessing it all with her own two eyes. Starting with the fight with Neji, all the way to saving the whole world from destruction, Naruto had impressed her, considerably. At one point, she'd even a small crush on him, but that soon changed as she got older. Now, she just wanted some excitement in her life, having achieved her goals of becoming an expert weaponry master and Jounin.<p>

Too bad having to seduce Ebisu had to be the first step, though he wasn't too bad looking, from what she'd seen. So far none of the guys she'd crushed on, in the past, had seemed to return her feelings and all the other guys her age just didn't interest her. This meant she had no choice but to try out the older guys in the village, in case they caught her attention. She wouldn't have minded picking Kakashi, but Sakura had to get him instead, much to her annoyance.

Even so, this was going to be interesting and she'd already thought up a couple of schemes to carry out. Unfortunately, of course, it all would have to wait until she returned to the village…

* * *

><p>AN: That's all for now…Hope you liked the new turn of events! Please review and I'll have the next chapter up soon ^_^


	6. Interesting Interludes

A/N: Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews I got for the last chapter! I see many of you weren't too happy with Ino, but then again I'm not surprised. I never liked her anyway, to be honest…

This chapter is dedicated to Tazicat12 for all the great ideas she gave me. I could honestly say all the different turn of events in this chapter has been kindly thought up by her and all I did was simply put it all together. You have been a great help! :D

* * *

><p><strong>Seven Days of Seduction – Chapter 6 - Interesting Interludes…<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

When she heard the knock, Sakura looked up, frowning, from the Icha Icha book in her hand. She got out of bed, glancing at her bedside table clock, before heading towards her apartment door. Opening it, she found a furious Ino standing there.

"Ino? What are you doing here so late?" Sakura asked, confused.

"I need to talk to you," Ino coldly replied. Sakura held the door open as she slipped inside, closing it shut behind her.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked, worried. Why would Ino come knocking at her door so late in the night? It didn't make any sense.

"Did you tell Kakashi about my date with Iruka Sensei, tonight?" Ino's eyes were murderous. At the accusation, Sakura's own eyes widened, before she shook her head.

"Of course not! How could you think that?" Sakura replied, astonished.

"Don't lie to me, Sakura. How else could he know that I mixed Viagra into Iruka Sensei's drink?" Ino's voice seethed with disgust.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Ino. What happened?" Sakura's bewilderment was obvious, but Ino didn't even notice. She was too busy; unleashing her anger from what she'd experienced, earlier.

"I never knew you could be so sly, Sakura! It doesn't matter, anyway. If you think this little ploy of yours will make a difference, then you are so mistaken. I will win this challenge, no matter what!" Ino shot back, as she opened the door and left, slamming it behind her. Sakura looked on, mystified, wondering, as she locked the door, if Ino had lost her mind.

Something had obviously happened, to make her so upset, but what? And how was Kakashi involved? Deciding, at the moment, she couldn't do anything, she returned to bed. She'd have to wait and get the details from Kakashi when she saw him tomorrow. Picking up her book, she returned to her reading, her mind unconsciously noting the significant details she came across…

* * *

><p>Ino stormed into her apartment, loudly slamming the door, indifferent to the neighbour's annoyance at the racket.<p>

"Who the hell does he think he is?" she angrily mumbled, kicking off her shoes and sending them, flying, in different directions. Thanks to Kakashi and his stupid lecture, she'd never, in her whole life, felt such a combination of embarrassment, guilt and hurt. It wasn't the fact that he'd known and disapproved that she'd mixed Viagra into Iruka Sensei's drink! No, he'd dragged Asuma Sensei into it, making her feel like she'd committed treason! Maybe she'd used the wrong tactics, but he hadn't needed to make her feel so bad about it. She knew his words would haunt her conscious for a while and not even alcohol would make them disappear.

"Darn you, Sakura!" she raged…

* * *

><p>Yamato's eyes opened when he heard the slight 'poof' of someone appearing in his room. Recognising him, he smiled in greeting.<p>

"Back so soon?" he said.

"Hmmm... There's something I need you to do for me, Tenzou," Kakashi began…

* * *

><p>Sasuke lay, his eyes still wide open, with no chance of sleeping any time soon. He was still bemused; thinking over the day's many surprises. In the end, he'd settled for lying to Naruto, after he'd spotted the love bites in the bathroom, that morning.<p>

"Hey, Sasuke, where the hell did these come from?" Naruto had looked confused. He'd shrugged carelessly, trying hard to conceal how tense he'd felt.

"No idea. Maybe you got lucky last night, who knows?" he'd casually replied. Naruto's confusion deepened, trying his best to recall the events of last night.

"Damn! Why can't I remember anything?" Naruto grumbled, frustrated.

"That's what happens when you drink too much," he'd said, as he shook his head, avoiding looking at him.

He'd been surprised when Naruto believed him so easily. He couldn't shake the feeling his friend was vaguely suspicious. Regardless, he didn't say anything more and Sasuke had left it at that. The more he thought about it, however, the more uncomfortable he felt. Maybe he should've told Naruto, instead of lying to him? If he recalled anything later, he was bound to confront him about it.

Deciding he would worry when the time came, he tightly closed his eyes. He willed all of his thoughts to disappear as he tried to sleep…

* * *

><p>The next morning, Sai's Ink Clone waited with Team Seven, for the last member of their team to arrive. No surprise, which that was.<p>

"I'd have thought he'd be on time, for a mission this important," mumbled Sasuke, disgusted. Sakura frowned glancing at her two comrades, noting something off in their behaviour. Today, Naruto, normally animated, was unusually quiet, whereas Sasuke, usually laid back, seemed more moody. At least, Sai's Clone, barely speaking, was behaving like the original.

"What's wrong with you two, today?" she pointedly looked at them. Naruto looked back in bewilderment. Sasuke just arched an eyebrow at the question. Sai's Clone perked up with interest, looking curiously at them too.

"What do you mean, Sakura?" Naruto asked, puzzled. Sasuke, waiting for her to explain, continued gazing at her.

"You two are definitely not acting like your usual selves. Is something wrong? Did you have a fight?" she asked concerned.

"No. Why would you say that?" Naruto replied defensively, as Sasuke looked away uninterested.

"Never mind," she looked thoughtful. Something was wrong. She was going to have to question them separately if she wanted to find out exactly what it was. A familiar 'poof' sounded, as the late comer appeared, empty handed for once.

"Sorry I'm late. I'm afraid I got lost on the path of life again," Kakashi cheerfully watched in amusement, as his team mates, ignoring him, began to walk on ahead. Sai's Clone exchanged looks with him, before walking after them.

"What, no sounds of complaint or disapproval, today? Are you feeling okay?" Kakashi easily caught up, as they walked along the path out of the village.

"I think we've given up on that," Sakura sighed.

"Is that so?" Kakashi looked thoughtful, noting the two best friends were walking with an unusually big gap between them.

"Is it me or does something seem odd, today?" he observed, amused.

"You got something to say, Kakashi?" Sasuke asked coolly, looking over his shoulder.

"You got something you want to tell us?" Kakashi returned casually, staring intently back.

"I don't think so," Sasuke looked away. Odder still, Naruto hadn't spoken up. Sakura feeling Kakashi's eye on her looked sideways at him. He gestured at the boys, inquisitively. She simply shrugged her shoulders in reply…

* * *

><p>Tenten sighed in relief, leaving the Raikage's mansion, after the team successfully handed Lady Tsunade's scroll over to him. To their surprise, they'd been lucky and hadn't been ambushed. Of course, Lady Tsunade had said it was a risk, not a surety. Now, they were free to spend some quality time before they returned to the Leaf Village. Deciding they should go shopping, she headed towards the stores, pulling a hesitant Hinata along. Lee and Guy eyed Hinata compassionately; perfectly aware of Tenten's irrationality when shopping was involved.<p>

"Ahem…I didn't say you two could stay behind," Tenten called out sharply, making them flinch.

"Gai Sensei…I-I think we should make our escape while we can," Lee stammered, blushing madly. He recalled what happened the last time they'd allowed themselves to be dragged into a lingerie store.

"Fear not, my boy! Let us experience the Joys of Youth," Gai was loudly optimistic, startling passing civilians with his thumbs up pose. Lee, with widening eyes, perked up instantly.

"You are right, Gai Sensei! We shall suffer through this together. As long as you are by my side, I can do anything" Lee saluted.

"That's what I like to hear, Lee. Let's go," Gai replied. They set off in the direction the girls had gone.

Half an hour later…

"Gai Sensei, I don't think I can take anymore," Lee weakly stated, trying to keep a straight face. He tried not to stare, past a display of various sex toys, at the naked woman on the poster in front of him. Gai painfully gulped, struggling not to ogle the salesgirls, who walked around in very skimpy apparel. Tenten had, once again, dragged them into a lingerie shop. They looked on blushing, as she pushed poor Hinata into a changing room to try on a very indecent outfit.

"Lee, my boy…this is one Challenge you must accomplish. Look around you, let your eyes wander. Enjoy these Pleasures of Youth to your Heart's Content!" Guy almost sang, bright eyes roaming shamelessly. Hearing him, one of the salesgirls stopped, glowering at him. Gai winked, giving her his white toothed grin.

"PERVERT!" she slapped his face.

"Gai Sensei," an astonished Lee rushed to lift his fallen Sensei from the floor.

"I'm okay, Lee," Gai dizzily sat up.

"So Lee…what do you think?" Tenten posed in a sizzling red corset, with a matching mini skirt and heels. She waved the whip in her hand around menacingly. Lee, shocked and horrified, turned completely red before passing out. Tenten shot him a disgusted look before turning expectantly to Gai. He just sat unmoving, staring wide eyed as if he'd seen a ghost. Sighing in resignation, she muttered curses as she walked back to the changing room…

* * *

><p>As they strolled out with their purchases, Hinata knew she was still blushing. Tenten had practically bullied her into buying a totally indecent deep 'passion purple' corset set with distressingly scanty underwear. It was something she'd never have dreamed of wearing, let alone buying. She looked straight ahead, avoiding Lee and Gai who walked a safe distance away. They were still cautious after Tenten had traumatized the living daylights out of them.<p>

It was a good thing Neji wasn't here, HInata mused. She couldn't envision what his reaction would've been, if Tenten'd modelled that outfit in from of him. She was going to hide hers when she got home. There was no way she would ever wear anything so wrong.

Though she couldn't help speculating what Naruto's reaction might be like…

* * *

><p>"This is where we were ambushed," Sai's Ink Clone informed them, as they looked slowly around. They inspected the damage done to the trees and ground, seeing there were, indeed, signs of a battle.<p>

"We'll take over from here, Sai," Kakashi told him. He nodded before melting away into ink.

"It seems the enemy went in that direction," Sakura pointed to the left, where small droplets of dried blood trailed across the ground.

"We'll find out soon enough," was all Kakashi said, as he summoned his ninken, Pakkun.

"How's it going, Kakashi?" Pakkun greeted, awaiting orders.

"Fine, Pakkun. We need you to track some ninjas involved in a fight here. Yamato, Sai and two other ANBU were ambushed by rogues, yesterday. We've been ordered to eliminate them. Can you make out which traces belong to them? If you concentrate on the trails moving away in the opposite direction from the Leaf Village, it might help," Kakashi finished, waiting in silence as Pakkun wandered about, sniffing.

"I'm familiar with Yamato and Sai, so it shouldn't be too hard," Pakkun continued scenting the ground and air. Eventually he stopped, sniffing several more times, before looking toward the direction Sakura had earlier pointed out.

"They went that way. I'm picking up four scents," Pakkun told them, as Kakashi frowned.

"I'm sure Yamato and Sai said there were only three," he reflected.

"Maybe one of them was observing and went unnoticed," said Sakura.

"Possibly. We're aware of the capabilities of three, so that leaves one with the element of surprise. That, unfortunately, evens the odds a little bit. Let's get going. In our usual formation," said Kakashi, as the rest nodded. Sasuke and Naruto followed Pakkun, with Kakashi and Sakura behind them…

* * *

><p>Iruka knocked on the door and walked into Yamato's room, looking tired and pale.<p>

"Well, well, someone looks like they had some fun last night," Yamato teased, looking much better as he sat in bed. Iruka momentarily froze before wryly shaking his head. Yamato couldn't know what'd happened last night.

"You called for me?" Iruka looked curious. He couldn't think of any business Yamato, who usually worked in ANBU, would have with him.

"Yeah…the thing is… Kakashi came here, last night. He asked me to talk with you about something…interesting," he began…

* * *

><p>"Kakashi Sensei, can I ask you something?" Sakura glanced sideways at her team leader.<p>

"Hmmm," he responded, keeping watch ahead. They were following behind the boys, who were still trailing Pakkun.

"Did something happen… last night…between you and Ino?" she was curious.

"You could say that," he calmly answered.

"What happened?" she pressed, as they sped from branch to branch.

"Well, you could say, when I caught her being dishonest, I gave her a much needed reprimand," he carelessly replied.

"Can't you go into detail?" she requested, resigned. Sometimes, when it came to explanations, men were so lame.

"Didn't she tell you what I said?" he glanced sideways at her.

"No! She accused me of telling you about her date with Iruka Sensei and…" she quieted, as she quickly realised her mistake. She'd just revealed that Ino'd picked Iruka Sensei as her target.

"I figured she'd picked Iruka after seeing them at that bar last night," he sounded amused.

"So, what happened? Why was she blaming me?" Sakura demanded.

"I went out for a drink after working on some paperwork and saw them together. Iruka was completely drunk. I caught him as he fell over, passed out with a hard on. I immediately recalled the discussion between you, remembering a reference about Viagra. I'd thought, at the time, you were joking but discovered you weren't. So, I couldn't stop myself from giving her a suitable rebuke. What she did was nasty, especially to someone like Iruka. I'm pleased you didn't resort to dirty tricks like that, Sakura," his voice held clear censure.

"I'd never do something like that," she quietly replied. So, that explained Ino's certainty that Sakura was responsible. Sakura knew Kakashi'd overheard part of their conversation, but not Ino. She'd thought no one, except Sakura, knew about her plans for the Viagra, so obviously she was going to blame her…

An hour later, when Pakkun notified them their quarry had changed direction, they stopped to reassess the situation.

"Be on full alert, especially you Naruto. They'll probably have traps set up. One of them is an expert Genjutsu User, so anticipate he may try to trick us off-course," Kakashi ordered. They nodded, agreeing, before setting off again. Now, there was no conversation, as each of them keenly scanned their surroundings for anything wrong.

To their surprise, it took most of the day. They decided to stop, resting while discussing options. Wherever the quarry was heading for, it wasn't anywhere nearby. They'd encountered various powerful Genjutsu traps, several set up to take them off track. They'd gotten past them without any major problems, still sticking to their trail.

"Judging by the direction we're taking, we're somewhere south east of the Fire Country," Kakashi frowned, quickly recalling all he knew about the closest countries and villages.

"So, what's the plan? Do we keep on moving or set up camp? It's getting dark," Sasuke squinted, looking up at the darkening sky. Expectantly, Naruto, Sakura and Pakkun waited to hear Kakashi's answer

He considered a moment before deciding, "It's not going to rain, so there's no chance of losing the trail. I think it's safe to set up camp for the night. We'll leave before dawn. We'll take turns at watch, switching every three hours." They'd no choice, really. It'd be difficult to see any traps in the dark. They'd have to wait until morning…

* * *

><p>Shortly, after eating, Sakura, Naruto settled into their blankets, while Pakkun joined his master in his. Sasuke, on watch, sat up on a tree branch, keeping an eye on them, as well as the surrounding area. He sighed miserably as his head rested against the tree. It'd taken all his willpower to keep his cool, today, not letting his agitation show. It'd been very difficult day. He'd no idea why, but Naruto'd been giving him the cold shoulder. The other two had noticed, but, thankfully, hadn't questioned it.<p>

For the next torturous three hours he worried, coming up with one conclusion for why Naruto would ignore him. Naruto memories of their night together must have returned, and now, he knew he'd lied. It was the only thing that could be causing the problem between them. He was surprised, though. He'd have expected Naruto to confront him, to yell, but he hadn't. That was why he was worried. Even if it meant hiding his feelings, he couldn't afford to lose his friend. Much as it confused him, he'd have to accept the painful truth. He was in love with his best friend. There was no way to run from it.

A hand on his shoulder made him look up into warm blue eyes, the sight bringing an unusual lump to his throat.

"Hey," Naruto sat down opposite him. He nodded once, not trusting himself to speak, keeping his eyes trained firmly on the tree across from them.

"I'll take over the watch now. You should get some sleep," Naruto told him.

"Whatever," he said coolly, getting up to leap down, when he felt a hand grab his arm. He turned to Naruto who stood closer than necessary to him.

"Why'd you lie about what happened, that night?" his quiet voice barely reached his ears. Sasuke was silent, discovering his fears had come to life. Outside, he only appeared calm, inside he was shaking. Glancing over, he saw Naruto's frown, the serious expression in his eyes.

"Why'd you think?" he eventually managed. Naruto sighed, looking away for a second.

"You should've just told me, Sasuke," he said. Sasuke frowned, straightening to face him.

"Naruto, we were drunk. How was I supposed to react when I woke up and realised we were both naked? I couldn't think straight. When you asked me what happened, I automatically lied," he responded, abashed.

"Sasuke…you don't have to be ashamed," Naruto quietly took a step closer. Sasuke, shocked by his words, looked up. He could feel the warmth of their closeness, his body stirring almost immediately.

"Naruto," he whispered hoarsely, as the gap was closed between them. They stood very close, each feeling the loud beat of the other's heart.

"Sshhhhh," Naruto placed a finger over his lips. Sasuke's breathe hitched, the finger burning against his lips, as he stared back. Naruto regarded him with half opened eyes and a small smile. Suddenly, he leaned forward to whisper, brushing his lips against his ear.

"You should sleep now. We can talk about this back at the village," he murmured seductively. Sasuke, the blood rushing to his ears shivered at the contact. Mischievously, Naruto stepped back, grinning.

"Good night," he cheerfully bid him. On autopilot, Sasuke nodded, leaping soundlessly to the ground. He was relieved to see, quickly glancing at their team mates, they were still asleep. In seconds, he'd removed his sandals, getting into his blankets. Unable to resist, he peered up at the tree branch, where Naruto sat, gazing off into the night, before closing his eyes. He felt all the tensions inside him vanish, as he smirked. He couldn't wait to finish this mission and head home…

* * *

><p>"Sakura…wake up," Naruto, awakened her from her slumber. Sakura sat up instantly, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.<p>

"Naruto? What's wrong?" she sleepily asked.

"You're on watch," he replied cheerfully. She nodded, moving to pull on her sandals as Naruto settled into his blankets. Getting up, she leapt onto the tree branch, leaning back as she looked around. The night air was cool against her skin. She shivered, wrapping her arms around her. Then, she blushed, as she recalled the dream she'd been having. It wasn't her first naughty dream. What was new was the participation of someone fast asleep on the ground nearby.

Of all the people to have dirty dreams about, it had to be Kakashi. His persistent kisses and torturous touches had pleasured her non-stop. She could clearly recall, even now, the way his breath teased her ear as he sensually whispered her name.

"Calm down, Sakura. Get a grip on yourself," she tried to ignore her thoughts. It was hard and she couldn't help feeling curious. Were his kisses really as perfect as they were in her dream? Did they really have the ability to turn her legs to jelly and her insides to mush? Turning she looked, unable to resist, to find his blankets were empty. Glancing at the boys, she saw they were still fast asleep.

*Where the hell has he gone?* she worried, looking around for him. Deciding to search, she leapt to a branch nearby and began scouting the area. Shortly, having no luck, she paused. She was wondering if she needed to wake the others, when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Kunai poised, she turned instantly, sighing in relief and relaxing, when she saw it was only him.

"You didn't have to sneak up on me like that!" she glared at him. He arched an amused brow at her.

"Couldn't resist," he shrugged, as she rolled her eyes.

"Where were you? I saw your blankets were empty and came looking for you" she said, annoyed.

"Call of nature," he replied amused.

"Oh," she looked uncomfortable. They silently headed back to camp. Getting over her embarrassment, she turned to look at him.

"You're on watch next, after me," she reminded him.

"Hmmm," he replied distracted. Again silence fell, as she tried, and failed, to think of something to say. Eventually, he spoke before her.

"So, what's going on between Sasuke and Naruto?" he glanced over at her.

"No idea. They've been acting really strange, barely speaking," she frowned in concern.

"Hmmm, sounds worrying. Maybe I should have a talk with them. Their lack of communication could pose problems, especially on a mission" he looked thoughtful as they spied the two still asleep. Sakura quickly leapt up onto the tree branch, scanning the area, but finding no sign of trouble. Sensing a presence behind her, she turned to see Kakashi settling down against the tree branch.

"You're not going to sleep?" she asked.

"No," he replied softly.

"Can I then?" she hopefully asked, making him chuckle.

"Sure," his tone was amused as he gazed back at her. She felt a bit overwhelmed by his stare. Nevertheless she stayed put, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Do you get the feeling, sometimes, that something's missing in your life?" she asked unexpectedly, turning to stare at the night sky. They couldn't see the moon from their position, but she could still see the stars, letting her eyes roam over them.

"I'm sure, at some point in their lives, everyone gets that feeling," he shrugged, not giving her the answer she wanted.

"Why do we get it? Because we're not happy with the way our lives are going?" she turned to look at him. He was regarding the ground, as if he was thinking.

"Aren't you happy with your life, Sakura?" he pointedly looked back up at her.

"I don't know," she replied solemnly. She wished she hadn't said anything as she felt his eye searching hers.

"If there's anything bothering you, Sakura, you know you can always talk to me, or either of the others, about it," he told her softly.

"I know," she smiled. Not for the first time, she was thankful she had great team mates she could wholeheartedly count on. They'd never let her down, and for that she was grateful.

"Maybe you should get some sleep," he said, after a while. She shook her head, as she sat with her cheek on her knee. Unbeknownst to her, her eyes slowly drifted closed.

"You're falling asleep, Sakura," he added amused.

"No, I'm not Kakashi," she sleepily mumbled. He cocked an eyebrow at her omission of 'Sensei', noticing her tilting slightly off the tree branch. Moving forward, he grabbed her arm to prevent her from falling, and she jerked awake.

"You almost fell off," he explained at her confused glance.

"Oh, right…sorry," she quickly rubbed her eyes.

"Just go to sleep Sakura," he sighed.

"I'm fine," she replied stubbornly. He just shook his head.

"If you fall off this time, I'm not going to save you," he teased. She was about to rudely reply when she froze. To her horror, something small was crawling up her back, beneath her top.

"Oh no!" she shot up quickly, her horrified eyes opened wide.

"What is it?" he frowned at her reaction.

"Get it off me!" she whispered, feeling it crawl further up her back.

"What?" he leaned closer, puzzled.

"There's something crawling up my fucking back. Get it off me now!" she said loudly. He looked at her back, in the moonlight, seeing nothing.

"There's nothing there," he pointed out. She pulled her top up, unable to take it any more, revealing her bare back.

"Get it off me!" she panicked. He froze, staring astonished, before letting his eye roam over her naked back. Near her bra, he spotted the bug, reaching forward, hesitantly, to flick it off.

"It's gone," he looked away.

"Are you sure?" she asked anxiously.

"Hmmm," he responded. She pulled her top down, sitting back noisily, with her back to him on the tree branch.

"I hate bugs," her voice dripped with disgust. When he didn't answer, it finally occurred to her what she'd done. She cursed her stupidity as she felt heat rushing to her face. How the hell could she have lifted her top, in front of Kakashi, of all people?

"I'm going to get some sleep," she hurriedly jumped down, making for her blankets. She made sure she had her back to him, so she wouldn't be tempted to look his way. She got the distinct feeling, as she lay there, of eyes on her, but nothing could make her investigate. Eventually, she fell asleep, somewhere between visions of Kakashi doing naughty things and frantically emptying her mind of such thoughts…

* * *

><p>AN: Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter…Things are finally getting exciting and there's plenty more to come…Please review and let me know what you think. See you in the next chapter ^_^


	7. Truth is Revealed

A/N: This chapter will be focusing on the day after Iruka and Ino's date. This idea was given to me by Tazicat12, who thought it was best to have the next chapter detailing what went on with the two of them, since the last chapter didn't reveal much.

Glad to see you're enjoying the story so far! A big thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter… So far we have 28 story alerts and 12 lovely people who have added this story as one of their favourites. Hopefully next time you choose to review, if you haven't done so already. Come on…I'm sure you can spend just under a minute to send me some feedback and put a smile on my face. Every writer loves some acknowledgment…

A special thanks to the lovely Tazicat12 for helping me make this story perfect! You're the best!

Hope you like this chapter :D

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><p><strong>Seven Days of Seduction – Chapter 7 – Truth is Revealed<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

The village was starting its early morning rituals, as Sai left the hospital. He heard shop keepers greeting each other, as he moved along the streets. Normally, he'd stop, watching the social byplay around him, but Yamato's instructions were clear. When he'd visited his squad leader, before being discharged, the ex-ROOT agent's only interesting prospect today had been the return of memories, from the ink clone presently guiding Team Seven. His friend's unique dynamics, especially after Sasuke's return, were always fascinating and amusing. He hadn't expected Yamato setting him to the interesting task he was presently pursuing.

Arriving at his destination, he took a quick, quiet assessment of the situation. As the sounds of pathetic groans and someone being spectacularly ill reached him, he debated before settling down to wait, deciding to give the occupant time to recover…

* * *

><p>The morning after her date with Iruka Sensei, Ino woke feeling the consequences of the night's drinking. She groaned massaging her forehead, as the memories came rushing back, reminding her of last night's events. Groaning louder, she resisted the urge to bang her head on the wall. Maybe getting Iruka Sensei drunk hadn't been a good idea. She should've just taken a different approach. There was no telling what he thought of her now. Her biggest worry was whether or not Kakashi had told him about the Viagra in his drink. If he had, then she could pretty much kiss her chances of success goodbye<p>

But, it was also possible Kakashi hadn't said anything. Until she knew for sure, she'd allow herself to breathe easy. Getting up she stumbled to the shower, before dressing to leave and start her day…

* * *

><p>More than a little behind schedule, Iruka stumbled into his classroom, feeling only a little better than when he'd roused. Waking to the Mother of all Hangovers, he'd instantly rushed to the bathroom to puke up the contents in his stomach, his toenails and, judging from the taste, someone else's toenails as well. The results hadn't been pretty. He'd lain there, on the bathroom floor, for a while, feeling completely drained. When his need to vomit had abated, he'd recalled he had classes to teach. Laboriously rising from the floor, he'd brushed his teeth before having a shower. As he was rushing to get dressed, he'd heard a knock on the door.<p>

Opening it revealed Sai, with a message and small container from Yamato. Once he'd handed it over, he'd disappeared in a cloud of smoke. As he read the note, Iruka had been puzzled. Why on earth would a member of ANBU want to see him? Even more unexpected, how did Yamato know about his hangover? The small container's contents were a special hangover remedy. He'd quickly knocked it back, feeling it start to take effect at once.

Grabbing the things he'd need for the day, he'd hurried out, making his tardy way towards the Academy and his waiting class.

As he hurried in, out of breath, his students had stared. They'd promptly gone quiet, their amazement profound. Their teacher being late was a rare incident for them.

"I'm sorry for being delayed, kids. Something came up," he hastily set his paperwork and other belongings onto his desk…

* * *

><p>Later that morning, Ino smiled standing behind her family's flower shop's counter, speculating on the latest gossip. A hospital colleague, ordering fresh flowers for Lady Tsunade's office, had informed her that Sakura's team were on a mission. Team Seven had left early that morning, with no telling when they'd return. She'd been relieved at the news. She hated to admit it; she'd been dreading seeing Sakura, Kakashi and especially Iruka Sensei, after last night.<p>

She should've kept her cool, not confronted Sakura. Thinking back, her outburst, possibly due to the drink, had given away how much she'd been affected by the event. This was Sakura, for crying out loud! Her lifelong arch rival! Losing her cool in front of her was like admitting Sakura was better, to everyone in the whole village.

On the other hand, one good thing had happened. If he'd left for an early morning mission, Kakashi wouldn't have had the chance to tell Iruka Sensei about the Viagra. With Team Seven away, there was no need to rush, for a few days, at least. She'd have plenty of time to get things under control. Contacting Iruka Sensei was essential. She needed to assess the situation, clear any possible difficulty between them. It could be a problem, if when he'd woken up; he'd remembered what had happened…

* * *

><p>When his students had left for lunch, he'd finally had time to think. He winced as flashes of the night before inundated his mind. The instant he'd entered his classroom he'd thrown himself into his work. He'd ignored any memories his mind had dredged up. Now, when he was finally paying attention to them, he wished he hadn't.<p>

Thanks to Yamato's rescue, the worst signs of his hangover were gone. Now he only had Ino to worry about. Last night had been very… awkward. He shouldn't have given in to her plea and drank. If he hadn't, the embarrassing moment later wouldn't have occurred. He blushed, shaking his head as he recalled it, now. He wasn't stupid. She'd been obviously coming on to him. But, why? She'd been his student, years ago, but she'd never indicated an interest, then or in the time since. So just what the hell was going on? For crying out loud, before she'd intercepted him before class the other day, he couldn't recall the last time he'd seen her!

It was a bit too strange. What was even stranger was Yamato's request for a meeting with him. Despite his growing curiosity, his day was hectic, so the meeting would have to wait until after school hours. Perusing his notes for the next lesson, he grimaced at the irony when he saw the topic for study, today of all days, and started reading…

* * *

><p>Ino finished serving her customer before preparing to water all the flowers and plants in the shop. Having finally decided what to say to Iruka Sensei, she hoped he'd buy it, though there was no telling how he'd take it. It must've been obvious she'd been coming on to him. If he hadn't figured it out, then he was the bigger idiot than Naruto! What particularly troubled her were his possible reactions. What if he decided to reject her? He was usually known for being a softy; but he could be anywhere from stern to scary when he pleased. Remembering her Academy days, how he dealt with misbehaving students, (usually Naruto, Kiba and Shikamaru); she recalled his temper could be terrifying.<p>

When Kakashi returned, he'd tell him about the Viagra incident. She couldn't stop worrying about his reaction. Would he lose his temper, display his disproval and disgust? She swallowed uneasily, realising the thought did scare her a little…

* * *

><p>"Okay everyone, settle down. Turn to page 136 of your 'Guide to being a Shinobi' text. Today's subject is interesting, one taught in your last year at the Academy for obvious reasons. I see a few of you are already fascinated. Let's get started then," Iruka turned his back to them, writing on the white board with a marker.<p>

"'The Kunoichi's Role in the Shinobi World.' This will mainly be an overview of the subject. Girls, you'll of course be doing more in depth study in your Kunoichi classes.

Now, as you should be aware, being a konoichi means the possibility, at some point, you'll be given missions which will require you to take more subtle to drastic measures to achieve its success. What some of those measures are will be covered in today's lesson. There are certain things a woman can do, that a man can't, especially in these particular types of missions.

For a konoichi, her sexuality and body are part of her arsenal. It's a versatile weapon she can use to achieve many mission objectives, from simple information gathering and distraction to assassination. Used the right way she can control, deceive or lure her target. She can use or allow herself to be used to achieve her goals. For example, she can provide a diversion, while her team mates search for and retrieve a stolen object. This is only the simplest of many examples. But one thing you should understand is that there are missions, usually A or S Rank, when the Hokage has no choice but assign a konoichi to ensure the mission's success.

Boys, you should also be aware, while it's far more common these jobs given to Kunoichi, it's always possible, due to unusual operation specifics that any of you could be chosen for those same types of mission. For example, if the target is a woman or a gay man.

Obviously, this isn't always easy, but when you chose to be a shinobi, you also chose the possible sacrifices you might have to make. This is something all of you will have to prepare yourselves for, because at any point you may be selected to carry out such tasks," he explained.

Several hands shot up to ask questions and he wasn't surprised to see most belonged to girls. He picked one, Nanau.

"Iruka Sensei, how do you prepare yourself for such missions? I mean, how you get the experience. You don't just go out there unprepared?" Nanau's eyes were hungry for knowledge. Iruka nodded approvingly. He noticed hands going down. Clearly they'd wondered the same thing.

"That's a very good question, Nanau. Well, the thing is a konoichi has till the age of 18 before she's usually eligible for taking on higher risk responsibilities. They have until then to get the experience to prepare themselves. Usually they gain most of it naturally, through relationships with boyfriends. They can also request special lessons, if they think they're not gaining the required knowledge. This is part of what you girls will cover in your supplementary lessons.

"More questions?" he asked looking around. Another hand, Yakima's, a shy girl, rose. He smiled, gesturing at her to speak.

"H-How do they deal with it? Using their b-bodies? It can't be easy letting a stranger use them like that," her voice was troubled. Iruka sighed; he'd been expecting that question at some point.

"No it's not easy. The most important thing you have to remember is this is to be your profession. The lessons you learn here at the Academy, from your jounin instructor when you graduate to genin, even any extra knowledge or experience you pick up, all go to prepare you to do, or endure, almost anything you might face. Sometimes it's not enough. These are things that can be hard to deal with. At times trying to get stronger, faster or more used to enduring pain won't work. There will be times you'll have to turn to your friends and family or get professional help.

All these things aren't easy. Despite the Shinobi Rules, we are still human. But these sorts of challenges are what being ninja is about. Whether it's killing or having sex with your opponent, this is something you have to remember at all times. First and foremost when you're about to make a difficult decision," Iruka answered firmly.

"I think I understand now," Yakima's quiet voice was thoughtful.

"You have a hard life ahead, that'll require you to make all kinds of decisions, some good and some bad. This is why it's necessary to explain now so you understand what may lie ahead.

Take the Hokage for example. She has the biggest liability of all. Her position requires her to make decisions and take responsibility for every single person in this village. It not easy, but it has to be done. I hope this has helped you understand what may be expected from you," he scrutinized their faces, analysing their reactions as they nodded.

"Good. Now I want you to spend the rest of today reading this section of your text. I'll be handing out worksheets covering it and what we've discussed so far. If you're not finished by the end of class, you'll have to complete it for homework" he told them and began…

* * *

><p>Sighing in relief, Ino left the Hokage Tower. She'd come to confirm the news of Team Seven's mission. It'd suddenly occurred to her that gossip was highly unreliable. The news about Sakura and her team could be false. They could still be here and Kakashi could've spoken to Iruka Sensei about what she'd done. She'd felt the need to verify the truth, unwilling to be stupid enough to rely on gossip.<p>

Asking her mother to watch the shop until she returned, she'd hurried to the Tower to find Shizune. Inventing a prearranged date later with Sakura, she'd asked about the gossip, asking if it was true. When Shizune had confirmed it, she'd relaxed. As she returned to the shop, reviewing her plans, she decided she needed to find Iruka Sensei as soon as possible…

* * *

><p>Iruka, glanced up to sporadically monitor his class, using his time to organize the next day's schedule. His mind kept returning to the lesson subject. Specifically, the facts he'd been careful not to tell. His eyes passed over Yakima and Nanau, before looking back down to the work on his desk.<p>

It was true, he thought. Traditionally and tactically, a kunoichi's sexuality was part of her arsenal. It was simple fact: women were usually more successful in such subtle ploys, than men. Depending on the enormity of the mission, her skills could be the balance between life and death, not just for her, but for any number of lives.

But pre-genin, regardless of gender, usually graduated at twelve. This meant the pre-teen girls, just starting the normal physical and mental route to womanhood, were stuck in limbo. Children, Iruka mused, could be fragile. An ill considered attempt to hurry the process could, far too easily, damage their mental and emotional stability. On the rare occasions it was deemed necessary, the circumstances were unusual, the stakes extraordinarily high.

This was the reason for kunoichi classes. Their curriculum covered many aspects of a kunoichi's life. But, apart from that and the normal sex education, the girls were left alone, to naturally grow into their profession. This meant, as each girl got to a certain age, those studies, hormones and natural curiosity tended to collide. It involved a strange mix of self discovery, challenge, practice and growing self confidence, as the girls spread their wings, testing the limits of their new adulthood.

One of the usual results, in secretive ninja parlance, was called the 'kunoichi game'. It started in a variety of ways, but the game was always the same. A target would be selected to be seduced so the girl could prove, both to herself and others; she was a fully capable kunoichi.

Perhaps, Iruka contemplated, it was a kind of safety net that the target was usually a fellow ninja, the usual setting, the local social scene. Authorities, both military and civilian, turned a blind eye, preferring the girls evolve their basic skills and tactics in the safety of the village, instead of a more dangerous setting, like a mission.

It could be prime entertainment, he privately conceded, hiding rueful grin. Older, wiser shinobi, finding themselves targets, could make the chase a challenge, while they decided if they wanted to be caught. The tactics both sides could, and had, come up with could range from sublimely subtle to totally outrageous. Tales of past kunoichi still made the rounds, when people reminisced about games past.

Anko, Iruka recalled, had come close to traumatizing her poor target into early retirement.

But there were unspoken rules and limits to the game. Some things that couldn't, wouldn't, be tolerated. It was vital to keep in mind the targets were 'friendly', comrades, people you'd likely work with in future. This respect of basic trusts, between the hunters and hunted, couldn't be abused. A transgression fell somewhere between misuse of a weapon and social misconduct between military personnel and, depending on the offence, could have bad repercussions, even seen as criminal. It could also be grounds for whatever unofficial punishment the abused chose to levy against the abuser.

Taken all together, Iruka mused, it wasn't something many parents, especially civilians, would comfortably accept about the expectations for their innocent, beloved, beautiful baby girls. Nor was it information to give to all too receptive kids, with a habit of imitating those older than them.

That's when the Hokage monument sized brick fell. As the revelation exploded in his still tender brain, it paralyzed him in his seat.

*Oh…My…God! Ino's strange behaviour! I'm the newest target in the Kunoichi game!* Instincts honed by years teaching forced him to relax, allowing no show of weakness for his students to take advantage of, while he grappled with it.

Iruka had done his fair share of game watching. This was his first time as participant rather than safe spectator. His personality forced him to see it more responsibly than most. He was finding it unthinkable to take part with a former student. He could cherish the honour but shrank at the idea of causing inadvertent harm. He hid a cringe as memories of Ino and he resurfaced. He'd have to politely turn Ino down and sincerely apologise for his actions last night…

* * *

><p>Ino smiled as she wrapped a bouquet for a customer. Surreptitiously, she glanced at the clock, noting the time. The Academy classes were almost over. Soon she could hunt up Iruka Sensei and get started with damage control.<p>

"Ino," her mother called from the back, catching her attention. "There's a shipment in that needs to be unpacked. Also, a genin team chased a cat through one of the greenhouses and I need your help to repair the damages. Sorry, but it has to be done before you can leave for the day."

"Yes, Mom, I'm coming," Ino hid her irritation as she moved to join her. Recalling the last time a team had managed to make a mess, this was likely going to take hours. It looked like her plans for Iruka Sensei had to be postponed for a little longer…

* * *

><p>Before the school day ended, Iruka reminded them about the class trip. It was the day after tomorrow and there were still a few students who hadn't gotten their permission slips back to him. After getting their promises to bring them the next day, he let them go early. He sighed as the noisy kids class hurried out, to finally go home.<p>

"Luckily, it's my day off from the Mission Desk. I can unwind a bit," he muttered as he gathered his belongings. He was tired and knew he looked like hell. When he was troubled his face had the audacity to show it. But he still had two hours of marking to do and needed to eat, before he could go see Yamato at the hospital…

* * *

><p>Iruka knocked on the door and walked into Yamato's room, looking tired and pale.<p>

"Well, well, someone looks like they had some fun last night," Yamato teased, looking much better as he sat in bed. Iruka momentarily froze before wryly shaking his head. Yamato couldn't know what'd happened last night.

"You called for me?" Iruka looked curious. He couldn't think of any business Yamato, who usually worked in ANBU, would have with him.

"Yeah…the thing is… Kakashi came here, last night. He asked me to talk with you about something…interesting," he began…

* * *

><p>A dazed Iruka left the hospital an hour later. What Yamato had said completely stunned him. He sat down heavily on a nearby bench to contemplate what he'd learned. Ino had mixed Viagra in his drink last night! It made sense now. At first, he'd discounted it last night, believing it his imagination when he'd felt the discomfort in his groin. When it only got worse he'd gone to the bathroom. He was embarrassed to realise he had a hard on. He vaguely recalled trying to get rid of it, but it just wouldn't go away. Giving up, he'd uncomfortably headed back out. He knew he was drunk. While he was still fairly rational, he'd wanted to escape from Ino.<p>

When he'd attempted it, to his horror, he'd tripped, falling right on top of her, revealing his problem. What astonished him was her reaction. The way she'd pressed against his hard on had shocked him badly. Somehow he'd gotten up before falling again, this time being rescued by Kakashi. A good thing, the night might've turned very ugly, if he hadn't arrived when he did.

He was hurt. There was no denying it. To think one of his students, after all the values he'd taught, would stoop to such a dirty trick. Ino'd disappointed him… badly. She'd committed an act that needed punishment. There was no way he could let her get away with this. She needed to be taught a lesson before she made the mistake of pulling such betrayal on someone else in the Leaf Village…

* * *

><p>As she passed the hospital, she finally spotted him sitting alone on a bench. He looked up, wordless, as she called out his name, hurrying over.<p>

"Ino…" he turned to look straight ahead. The tone of his voice made her uneasy; cool and civil.

"Iruka Sensei, I'm so sorry about last night. I-I shouldn't have made you drink in the first place. It's entirely my fault! Please, please forgive me," her voice broke and her eyes were bright with unshed tears. The silence lengthened, as she waited.

"I don't know what to say…" he finally responded, his face expressionless. He still stared, in deep thought, directly ahead. Inside her the uneasiness grew.

"Please, Iruka Sensei; give me a chance to make it up to you. I'll do anything to get your forgiveness. What I did was out of order. I shouldn't have forced you to drink in the first place…" a few tears leaked from her eyes. He looked up, a smile appearing, as if he saw her clearly for the first time.

Okay, Ino. If you feel so strongly about this, then there is something you can do. The day after tomorrow, I have to take my class for a two day outing, to cover mission procedures. I'm sure you remember them and I could use the help. My colleague had to opt out for personal reasons, so I haven't found anyone else to help me yet. What do you say?" he waited to hear her response.

"Sure, why not," she was unable to keep the relief out of her voice.

"Good, come tomorrow before my last class and I'll introduce you to my students. Don't be late," he stood and walked away. Sighing in relief, she sank down on the bench.

"Whew, that was intense," she mumbled…

* * *

><p>A sinister smirk appeared on Iruka's face as he made his way home.<p>

"Let the games begin!" he whispered…

* * *

><p>AN: Well, hope you liked it! Please review and share your thoughts on the story so far…

See you in the next chapter! ^_^


	8. Another Truth is Revealed!

A/N: I would like to thank all the lovely people who reviewed the last chapter. This story didn't turn out to be such a disappointment, after all. I'm glad you're enjoying it! Please continue to show your appreciation and brighten my day :D

Like always, I would like to thank Tazicat12 for all the time and hard work she's put into making this story perfect. You truly are the best!

Have any of you seen Naruto Shippuden Movie 5 – Blood Prison yet? I highly recommend that you do, if you haven't. It is truly awesome! I would say it's officially my second favourite Naruto movie! It was only released online a few days ago, with English subtitles. So for those who haven't seen it, make sure you do :D

* * *

><p><strong>Seven Days of Seduction – Chapter 8 – Another Truth is Revealed!<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

Iruka, smiling secretively, walked into his class room an hour before his kids would arrive. His plan was thought out and he couldn't wait to put it into action. His only problem was he'd needed help. It was easily fixed, though. He not only knew who to ask, it was vastly unlikely they'd refuse. More like be eager. They were the perfect choice, mischievous little pranksters who wouldn't be suspected.

Distracted, he went through his notes for the day out, feeling his concentration begin to drift. Childhood memories played through his mind. He'd been a bigger prankster than Naruto, he remembered with a grin, shaking his head.

Oh, those were the good old days...

* * *

><p>Fully alert, Team Seven had been on the move since first light. After only two more Genjutsu traps, the trail had meandered back into the Fire Country. When they hadn't encountered another trap for a few hours, the team held a quick conference, agreeing this was likely proof of the quarry's overconfidence, rather than a possible ambush. Still, all eyes were peeled for trouble as they followed Pakkun toward the location of the rogue's hideout…<p>

* * *

><p>Ino stretched luxuriously in her bed, considering her life. Her success with Iruka Sensei last night had buoyed her confidence. She felt like she was on top of the world! Now, she had only to win the challenge and show up Sakura!<p>

So, what should she do with her day…?

Her mother, due to the overtime dealing with the greenhouse mess, had given her the day off. She wasn't meeting Iruka Sensei's class till later in the afternoon. She did really need to dig up and assess her camping gear, to see if she needed supplies. And, she thought as she lazily turned toward the side of the bed, she also needed the proper necessities for an overnight seduction in the woods.

Alright, she decided as she stood up and headed towards the bathroom, breakfast first. Then find the camping gear. After that, she was due for a nice relaxing shopping spree…

* * *

><p>"Home at last!" Tenten happily called, entering the village gate with her team mates.<p>

"Hey, guys. How'd the mission go?" Kotetsu asked from the entrance checkpoint. Izumo, with him, grinned at them.

"Mission was successful!" Gai struck his thumbs up pose.

"Good work! Neji's back. Team Seven left yesterday on a mission," Izumo came over to join them. From the corner of her eye, Tenten saw Hinata's face drop. It seemed she'd have to wait for Naruto to return, no matter how long it took. Her prey, on the other hand, was freely roaming the village. She had plenty of opportunity to make her first move. With so few days left, it was best to start before it was too late.

After talking with Kotetsu and Izumo for a while, they headed for the Hokage Tower to report the mission's success to Lady Tsunade. Once done, they separated, Lee and Gai waving as they strolled away. The two girls headed home together.

"I can't believe Team Seven had a mission, just before we got back. It's easier for Sakura, because Kakashi's with her. As for you, Hinata, we'd better hope they return before the next three days are up. We don't have much time left, as it is," Tenten observed. Solemnly, Hinata eyed the ground, knowing she was right.

"Team Seven is the best we've got. I'm sure they won't take long to complete their mission," Hinata quietly smiled. Tenten grinned at her.

"I've got to agree with you on that. They're the best! Don't worry, Hinata; in the meantime, you can finish reading the Icha Icha series. Hopefully, Naruto will be back by the time you're done" said Tenten cheerfully. Hinata nodded, her smile growing.

"What about you? Are you going to go find Ebisu?" Hinata was curious.

"Obviously!" Tenten winked suggestively...

* * *

><p>"Alright class. Now that I have all the proper permission sheets, we can discuss tomorrow's trip. I'll be handing out a list of all the necessary gear you'll need. We'll also be going over what procedures we'll be practicing. Tomorrow, before we leave, I'll be doing a quick review and checking everyone's gear. Any questions?" said Iruka as he scanned the excited faces surrounding him. He decided now was a good time.<p>

"Before we get to that, I have a special announcement to make. This year's trip will be a bit different. Those who volunteer will be taking part in an unofficial 'mission'. You will have the opportunity to perform several basics of mission requests you might be called on to perform as genin. It will be an unofficial test of your ingenuity, adaptability, ninja skills and chakra control. If there's anyone who doesn't feel like taking part, please speak up now," He had their rapt interest.

"No one wants to refuse? Then I'll consider the whole class as in." He grinned at them, noting several murmurs of excitement.

"Your mission objective is: from the moment we leave the village gates, tomorrow, till we return, this class will be my secret 'body guards', defending me from an 'enemy'. You'll be targeting our opponent, using sabotage and distraction, keeping her from spending too much time alone with me.

The rules for this 'mission' are simple. 1. The 'enemy' can't suspect what you're doing; it's a secret, like between the Hokage and her ANBU operatives. You can consider me your 'Hokage' and you, my 'ANBU' for this operation. Total secrecy must be maintained by those now present in this classroom. Think of it as an A Rank mission.

2. Nothing truly harmful is allowed to either side in this engagement. Anything beyond that, either manual or chakra based pranks, are allowed. I'd like you, however, to consult with me on what you're planning. This will ensure your tactics are reasonable and varied, needing no unrealistic amount of supplies or chakra usage beyond your present skills," he grinned, resisting the urge to laugh, seeing several of his 'troublemakers' already animatedly plotting.

"I may have some good suggestions for you. We can plan and consult today and, if you need supplies, have them by tomorrow morning. I'll check them along with your other gear.

You'll be meeting this 'enemy' later today, during the last period. If the' mission' is successful, I'll be treating you to all-you-can-eat ice cream at Kazuki's when we return. Any questions before we get to other business?" he happily regarded the whispering, giggling crowd…

* * *

><p>Waving goodbye to Tenten as they separated, Hinata headed straight home. She tightly gripped her shopping bags, which Tenten had easily stored in a scroll for the journey home. She couldn't wait to get home to hide them, before anyone asked about what she'd brought.<p>

She was still disappointed, learning Naruto was away. She'd decided to approach him, try to talk with him, on the trip back to the village. Since the awful day Pain had attacked, when she'd confessed her feelings to him, they hadn't had a chance to talk. She wasn't sure how he felt.

He'd been in love with Sakura who'd still, at the time, had feelings for Sasuke. Now, who knew what was going on, in the hearts of the three friends? Sakura claimed she was over Sasuke, but no one knew for sure. As for Naruto, he was still single, with no signs of a lasting relationship, despite being very much most sought after. Sasuke was still totally oblivious to the girls around him. She'd wondered if he was gay. There weren't any signs to confirm her suspicion, other than the clear attachment to his best friend.

Finally arriving, she made for her room, locking the door behind her. She hid the bags at the very back of her closet, behind all the other clothes hanging up. Closing the closet door, she decided to shower before she grabbed a bite to eat…

* * *

><p>As the enemy positioned themselves in front of them, Sakura and her team stood ready. Finally finding the Rogue Ninja's hideout, they'd been about to attempt an ambush, when their quarry appeared. Pakkun had been right about there being four of them. Only one had a dangerous looking sword strapped to his back, the rest were empty handed, except for the inevitable pouches filled with weaponry. Their masks hide their features, with no headbands in sight. All four were dressed similarly, in grey tank tops and black combats.<p>

"Well, well, who do we have here? If it isn't the Hidden Leaf's most destructive team," one of them stepped forward.

"It's only fair, since you already know us, for you to introduce yourselves," Kakashi narrowed his eyes as he coolly examined them. Waiting for the battle to commence, Sakura sensed her comrades' tension. The man who'd spoken before chuckled before shaking his head.

"Kakashi Hatake, it's an honour to finally meet you. I'm looking forward to seeing the Copy Ninja in action" he didn't bother with introductions. Throughout the exchange, Naruto and the others had been quietly assessing their enemy.

"Considering your evident lack of common courtesy, I can't say I feel the same. Though I'll admit, I'm looking forward to this fight," Kakashi responded smoothly. The Rogue Ninja frowned vaguely, turning to look at Naruto.

"Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine Tailed Jinchuuriki," he thoughtfully said to himself.

"Why were you after Yamato Sempai?" Naruto finally spoke up. The Rogue studied him before he spoke, a smirk appearing on his face.

"We weren't after the Wood User. Someone else was our target all along," he launched forward to attack. Kakashi made his move, his eyes widening as he appeared, with his Sharingan exposed, in front of Naruto.

"So, from the beginning your target was Naruto," he commented coldly, blocking the punch with ease. The Rogue Ninja nodding once to confirm, the battle began.

Sasuke, brandishing his own sword, had gone straight for the swordsman. As they started exchanging blows, their swords connected loudly. Sakura faced off with the Genjutsu User, who eyed her confidently. He hadn't attacked yet, but Sakura knew, sooner or later, he would. Unfortunately for him, she'd already made the first move. He hadn't even noticed. Unfazed by Kakashi's appearance in front of him, Naruto turned his attention to where the remaining Rogue fiercely grinned at him.

The Genjutsu User suddenly smirked, rapidly forming hand signs, before he stopped, sensing something wasn't right. His eyes widened as slowly, all around him, the surrounding area spun. Puzzled, not understanding, he tried to call to his partners, who didn't react. He froze, staring in confusion as Sakura watched, grinning. The best part was yet to come.

Feeling his feet being pulled, her adversary looked down, horrified to see a vortex moving toward him upwards from the ground. He quickly realised he was about to be sucked in and ripped apart. Despite it being his specialty, his mind had lost all concentration, not understanding he was under a Genjutsu. He was helpless, his partners all too busy to aid him. As he realised it, he started screaming loudly, as his body, pulled into the vortex, genuinely felt the pain of shredding limbs. Once he'd been completely consumed, Sakura released the Genjutsu. As Naruto's transformed clone, who'd impersonated her, vanished with a 'poof', she appeared from tree cover. She instantly moved behind her opponent, her finger filled with chakra, to kill him with a strike to a specific head point, causing his brain function to cease. Lifeless, he dropped.

Turning away, she glanced at her comrades. Sasuke was wiping the blood from his sword, as several feet away, his foe's head lay separated from its body. Kakashi's Chidori was delivering a final blow to his enemy's heart, as the sound of a thousand birds chirping filled the air. Naruto was already walking toward her. There was no sign of his opponent, except for the pile of ashes on the ground. He must have used his newest attack, the RasenKyuubi, which combined his and Kurama's chakra into one. An extremely powerful S Rank Ninjutsu, its power was completely off the charts, able to do more damage than the Rasen Shuriken. Mixing wind and fire into a type of Rasengan, it quickly, completely, burned an opponent into ashes. Sakura, considering how painful the death must have been, resisted the urge to shiver.

"Well, that was quick," Sasuke mumbled disappointed.

"I agree. Yamato Sempai said they were extremely powerful, but they didn't last very long," Sakura frowned.

"Oh, well…I'm not complaining. This means we get to go home early," Naruto, cheerful, looked pointedly at Sasuke, who returned a small smile. Sakura eyed them suspiciously.

"You all did great! Good work with the Genjutsu, Sakura. You nailed it," Kakashi, nodded his head approvingly, as he joined them. Sakura, smiling at the compliment, quickly examined him for injuries. Pulling off a glove, he held up a swollen hand. She took it gently in one hand to assess the damage. Luckily, there were no broken knuckles, only a couple of torn ligaments, extreme swelling and the bruising. She took a few minutes to repair the damage. When she was finished, he flexed his hand several times, making the bones click.

"How many times have I told you not to do that?" Sakura looked on in disapproval. Kakashi, deciding not to answer, carelessly shrugged.

"We should search their hideout, before heading back. We don't know if they're working with anyone, so it's best to be safe. You two stand guard while Sakura and I look inside. If there's any problem, you know how to signal. We'll meet back here in an hour," he told them, as they nodded…

* * *

><p>"That'll be too heavy, Maki. Class, I can't specify enough the need for you to consider your supplies carefully. They have to be small, unnoticeable, easily hid. They also should last for a reasonable length of time. You could even consider things you can use in combination with what you'll find in your environment. Let's go over some examples of simple traps…" said Iruka and began explaining…<p>

* * *

><p>Tenten found Ebisu mediating alone, in Training Ground 1. She mischievously smirked, moving silently towards him. Considering what she was wearing, there was no way he'd refuse her. She'd been a little doubtful about wearing it so soon, but couldn't resist in the end. The hot pink, sleeveless leather jumpsuit clung to her body like a second skin, revealing her womanly curves. The low neckline gave any onlooker an eyeful, partly exposing her breasts. She'd stuck to her usual hairstyle but left a few tendrils of hair loose to frame her face.<p>

"Ebisu Sensei, how are you?" her voice was throaty as she leaned toward him. He instantly reacted, shooting backwards, startled.

"Uh…Tenten…? What are you doing here?" he stammered. Seeing the red tint to his cheeks, she resisted another smirk. With his darks shades, there was no telling where his eyes looked, but judging from the angle of his face, she guessed it was her breasts.

"Ebisu Sensei, I have a problem. I was wondering if you could help me?" she pouted for effect, recalling the women in the Icha Icha books. When they wanted to coax their lovers, it was irresistible, always working. As his mouth opened slightly, she noted the red in his cheeks deepening. On purpose, as he nervously licked his lips, she let her eyes fall on them.

"Um…you need help? What kind of help?" he asked apprehensively.

"I've heard you work exceptionally well with weapons, so I'm wondering if you'd help me with some training. I promise not to take too much of your time," she looked at him with puppy dog eyes.

"S-sure, why not!" he swallowed painfully. She instantly moved to hug him, making sure to crush her breasts against his chest as she thanked him. When she moved back, he flopped limply to the ground.

"Uh… Ebisu Sensei? Are you okay?" she slowly lifted an eyebrow. For a few seconds, there was no response, and then a frail hand rose to answer her.

"Great! I'll see you here, this afternoon at 4 sharp. Is that okay?" she sweetly asked. The frail hand rose again and she brightened. Turning away, she headed home to change, secretly grinning all the way, contemplating the next course of action…

* * *

><p>Smiling, Ino strolled into one shop after another, buying necessities for the school trip. She didn't even have to plan anything major. Iruka Sensei had taken care of it all, by asking her to come along. Two days… plenty of time and opportunity to seduce the hell out of him. She couldn't wait.<p>

Shifting her thoughts as she entered yet another store, she wondered what the other girls were up to, when they'd return from their missions. They must have finished reading Icha Icha by now, ready to put their plans into practise. Speak of the devil, she thought, spotting a familiar face walking past outside.

"Hey, Tenten!" she called out, hurrying outside. Tenten immediately turned, perking up when she saw her.

"Ino, what're you doing here?" Tenten grinned. Ino, busy eyeing her outfit approvingly, didn't answer for a second.

"Where the hell did you get that?" Ino demandingly gestured to Tenten's jumpsuit.

"Oh, this? I bought it in a shop while we were in Hidden Cloud. Cool, huh?" she posed with a wink.

"Damn right! It's very sexy! So, how'd your mission go?" Ino asked as they walked together.

"Yeah, it was a piece of cake, no trouble, whatsoever. So, how's it going with Iruka Sensei?" she asked quietly. Ino smirked.

"Everything's perfect. What about you? I take it you wore that to see Ebisu," Ino pointed at her outfit.

"That's right. Worked like a charm," was Tenten's devious reply. Ino's eyebrow arched and she instantly started digging for information…

* * *

><p>"You're thinking too large, Souza. You presently only have enough chakra to do this once. The best tactics are subtle. Instead of going overboard, using all your chakra for one thing, why don't you try this?" Iruka watched respect grow in his student's eyes, as he plotted out a new strategy…<p>

* * *

><p>The boys waited for the team to meet up again, to hear what Sakura and Kakashi had discovered.<p>

"Nothing, it was a temporary base. There was nothing worth taking, so we can head back and report the mission a success," Kakashi told them. They nodded, before the whole team took off in the direction of the village.

On the way back, Sakura felt her eyes drifting to Kakashi, slightly ahead of her. Sasuke and Naruto, who usually hurried on ahead, eager to get back, were behind them for a change. There was definitely something going on. She'd known them both for so long it was easy to distinguish any changes. She risked a glance backwards at them. Her eyes widened.

They ran side by side, staring at each other. That wasn't really odd, beyond the fact they weren't talking. What was surprising was the way they were regarding each other. Despite her inexperience, she knew what that type of look meant. Their excitement and need, with hints of nervousness, were palpable, radiated more strongly off Sasuke, than Naruto. It only deepened her suspicions.

Her inattention was enough to make her lose concentration, her footing on a tree branch slipping, causing a fall. However, to her surprise, before her body could hit the ground, she was caught. Her breath hitched as she realized who it was. Kakashi eyed her in his arms, eyebrow raised, noting her reaction. His body felt incredibly warm and solid against hers, a very pleasant sensation, she concluded.

"You should pay more attention, Sakura," he pointed out, putting her down as she blushed.

"Sorry, I got distracted!" she quickly looked up to see the boys hadn't noticed and were now moving steadily ahead of them.

"Shall we?" Kakashi gestured after them. She nodded as they resumed their course, moving in silence. Her mind kept considering the sensations she'd experienced, being held by him.

"Is there a reason you're blushing?" Kakashi's amused question interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh…uh…I'm not blushing!" she stuttered, embarrassed by realizing she was.

"Hmmm, is that so? Doesn't look that way from here," his voice continued to be amused. She kept her eyes firmly ahead, choosing not to answer.

"How's the Icha Icha reading going?" he asked several minutes later.

"I haven't got round to it" she kept her face expressionless. He chuckled and she knew he knew she'd lied. She grimaced in admission.

"I'm sure you're picking up a lot of interesting things," he commented casually.

"I have, actually…" she glanced sideways at him. He regarded her back, an unrecognisable look in his eye.

"I see," was all he said in response…

* * *

><p>After a long chat with Tenten, Ino hurried home. She had to drop off her parcels, before heading to the Academy for Iruka Sensei's last class. She smiled as she considered some of her 'necessities'.<p>

She knew the pale blue lingerie set was going to do wonders for Iruka Sensei. The short, lacy see-through would make an edo tensied zombie react, especially on her. She'd reluctantly vetoed wine, going instead with a nice fruit juice wine cooler. She'd need to refrigerate the few special, sensual snacks she'd bought before storing them in a scroll tomorrow, to keep their freshness.

She smiled smugly, as she saw her apartment ahead. She loved when everything was going her way…

* * *

><p>"Yes, this'll work, Hiro. You've got a good sense of what resources you'll need. You can use help pulling it off, though. Is anyone interested in helping Hiro?" Iruka canvassed the class for volunteers…<p>

* * *

><p>"Okay, let's take a break," Kakashi called. The team slowed, those in front lagging for the others to catch up. As they joined up, Kakashi continued,<p>

"We'll spend a half hour for water and rest, before we go on. In a few more hours, we'll stop early for the night. We can reach the village easily tomorrow morning, after a good night's rest. Any objections?" he scrutinized their reactions for dissention, getting none.

"All right, there's a small, clear stream a short distance from here. Everybody make sure they have their fill. We'll join back up in this clearing when it's time to leave." Finished, he pulled out his book, before sauntering off in the direction of the stream.

Sakura spent a few precious moments inspecting her pack, redistributing the weight better, before following. Due to this, it didn't immediately dawn on her that two of their party were missing. She looked around as she filled her canteen, wondering where the boys were. Glancing to where Kakashi was comfortably ensconced with his book, she caught his eye, her brows lifting enquiringly. His eye flicked downstream, before returning to his reading. She stood uncertainly for a second, before moving in the direction indicated.

She finally found them, ten minutes later. What she saw shocked her. Naruto and Sasuke sat intimately together, leaning against a tree. They held hands, Sasuke's head cuddled close against Naruto's shoulder. Her involuntary gasp caused both to look up. They quickly moved apart, staring at the ground, embarrassed. She stared disbelievingly in the awkward silence that followed, her mind running in confused circles, thoughts of Hinata foremost, before deciding on a path of action.

"What the hell is going on here?" she asked.

"Um…nothing," Naruto quickly dissembled.

"That didn't look like nothing" she stated, unconvinced and waited for them to speak in the next uncomfortable silence.

"Are you in a relationship?" she finally asked, when no explanation came. Now, she had serious reservations for poor Hinata.

"Look, Sakura…we're not sure what's going on yet. But yes, we are interested in each other," Naruto sighed. Her suspicions confirmed, her eyes widened, because it still didn't make sense.

"I don't understand, Naruto…I thought you liked girls?" bewildered, she remembered his long, alleged crush on her. He suddenly grinned.

"I'm not gay, Sakura…I'm bi," he was clearly amused. Sasuke startled at this, staring deliberately at him, his gaze questioning. Naruto just regarded them both steadily.

"What? There's nothing wrong with that!" he added simply. Sakura was astonished at his calm confession. Naruto'd come a long way, from being the famous knucklehead he was known as in the village. Her attention turned to Sasuke.

"Sasuke…are you gay?" she asked. He looked sharply at her. He was the more obviously embarrassed of the two. Eventually, he gave a stiff nod. Naruto smiled chuckling, as Sasuke glared back.

"It all makes sense now," she looked thoughtful, her eyes fixed on Sasuke. Both looked back, wondering what she meant.

"I mean…the mystery of why Sasuke Uchiha never pays any attention to girls is finally revealed. It's because he's gay" she clarified objectively. His eyes narrowed at her without comment.

"Though, I shouldn't be surprised. Long ago, I figured it had to be something like that," she mused quietly, turning to head back upstream. She was glad they didn't try to stop her. She needed time to get used to it.

At least Hinata's chances with Naruto weren't completely lost. She was grateful for her shy friend's sake. In fairness, she'd need to warn her of the situation.

As for herself, Sakura could finally put her fixation with Sasuke to rest. She couldn't believe her stupidity spending so many years on it. He'd clearly been uninterested, yet she'd chased him, like an idiot. She couldn't blame him; she could only blame herself, for being so ignorant.

Ahead of her, she heard Kakashi's voice calling them back. Their break was over…

* * *

><p>"No, Nanau, I think this is perfect," Iruka smiled at her.<p>

"Though, you'll get better results if you change this to this," he added

"Are you sure, Iruka Sensei? I know it's not a really exciting jutsu. That's just a small change," she replied, doubtfully.

"Believe me, this jutsu will be effective enough and the reaction will be worth it," his wicked grin surprised her.

"If you think so, Iruka Sensei," she still wasn't convinced as she returned to her seat.

He looked out the window toward the Academy gates, a frequent action since the start of the final period. Finally, his vigilance was rewarded. He immediately turned to his class.

"Okay, kids, it's show time. Hide everything but your class work. This is your first chance to assess the 'enemy' so pay attention to details. It'll help you refine your plans. Also, remember everything must be ready by the time you arrive tomorrow for last minute orientation! And…" quickly he grinned, miming zippering his lips, to muffled giggles.

When the expected knock sounded, he warmly called,

"Come in, Ino. We've been waiting for you…"

* * *

><p>AN: Well, hope you liked it! I think it's coming together quite nicely! Please review and share your thoughts on the story so far…

See you in the next chapter! ^_^


	9. Many Plans & Practice,Practice,Practice!

A/N: Apologies for taking so long to update. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long!

A big thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter. I loved reading each and every single one of them! Hope you enjoy reading this chapter, just as much :D

Credit for this chapter goes entirely to Tazicat12! I hardly did anything…

* * *

><p><strong>Seven Days of Seduction – Chapter 9 - Many Plans and Practice, Practice, Practice!<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

Yakima peeked over her book, silently observing the 'enemy'. While she admired Ino's confidence, an attribute she wished for, she also found her patronizing, a common adult attitude. What troubled Yakima, however, was an element she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Oh, she thought, there it is! Just for a second, when Iruka Sensei turned away, Ino gave him the oddest look.

Quickly she glanced around, to see if others had noticed. Nanau apparently had. The two girls locked eyes briefly, before canvassing the others. Yes, several girls, though none of the boys, had too.

Yakima's eyes went back to Nanau. Hidden by her own book, the other girl signed to meet after class. When Yakima's eyes dropped in agreement, Nanau repeated her signal to the others…

* * *

><p>Iruka grinned in pleasure as he collected his things. Another day at the Academy was ending, with Ino and his class departing several minutes ago. Everything had gone smoothly. His students had been particularly well behaved for their 'enemy'. Ino had been impressed by their manners and obedience.<p>

He'd been impressed. He'd never seen them so respectful and quiet before. Normally they would've done their best to traumatise any visitor for life. Only his daily threats of homework and detention kept him from insanity, his love for his job allowing him to cope. Every school year he got a new set of little terrors; all with the goal of making Naruto look easy by comparison.

Every year he'd hoped it'd be different. A guy could wish, couldn't he? He laughed quietly, knowing he'd have it no other way.

Their 'special mission' was obviously being taken seriously, unmistakably showing how quick and devious they were getting before graduation. Iruka was delighted with the proof of their progress.

He chuckled as he headed out. If Ino didn't deserve the lesson, he'd be sorry for her. He knew what his students were capable of; the potential calamity was frightening to consider. However, he couldn't deny a feeling of deep excitement as well. He was very eager to see his kids in action…

* * *

><p>Tenten, strolling into Training Ground 1, immediately saw him, standing with his back to her, looking anxious. She smirked, materializing behind him to tap lightly on his shoulder. She resisted a chuckle as he jumped, startled.<p>

"Ebisu Sensei," she purred as he quickly turned to face her, "I'm glad you're here." As his shaded eyes landed on her, he openly stared. She couldn't fault him; he wasn't the first to give her that look. Since leaving home, she'd received many, due to her present ensemble, a simple, green vest and tight fitting, white shorts. They looked painted on, with a generous display of cleavage.

She'd bumped into Neji on the way. Stunned, his eyes and, consequently, head tracked her passage; nearly knocking himself out as he walked headfirst into a lamp post. When she's leaned over him, concerned, he'd just stared, mutely, at her cleavage. She honestly couldn't blame him; she'd never exposed so much skin in front of him before. More evidence, she reflected, amused, that a bit of skin and cleavage did get men excited, proving how pitifully easy they were.

"T-Tenten," Ebisu croaked, blushing. He forced himself under control, mostly succeeding, except for the continuing redness of his cheeks.

"I suppose you'll want to start by seeing what I'm made of," she gave him an evocative look. He coughed nervously, blush deepened.

"That's correct. Let's see what progress you've made so far," he valiantly strove to appear calm.

"Of course," she pulled her large weapons scroll from its harness on her back; the movement making her breasts jiggle. She saw him swallow hard.

"Get ready, Ebisu Sensei, here I come," she sang, pulling the scroll open with a warning whoosh…

* * *

><p>Ino almost danced home, grinning from ear to ear, uncaring of the occasional odd look. She was too busy enjoying her good luck. Everything was perfect. She didn't have to do anything. It was the ideal opportunity to seduce Iruka Sensei, with no meddlers.<p>

She'd been worried about his students, but after meeting them, she concluded they'd be no problem. They were actually well behaved. She'd been astonished. They were, officially, the first kids she'd met who were polite and accommodating. So much so, maybe she could get them to help her.

Yes, she smiled happily; her life was looking incredibly good…

* * *

><p>All twelve girls from Iruka's class met in a nearby park. After ensuring their privacy, they settled down in some bushes. A quick, mutual analysis commenced, as the girls pooled their first impressions of the 'enemy'. Then the dialogue turned to the puzzle of the strange looks aimed at their oblivious teacher. At first the precise, alarming quality to them proved elusive.<p>

Then, indicating her puppy, Ginmaru, Mika Inuzuka claimed her clan dogs got the same look when offered meaty bones or favourite treats. This was vigorously discussed as the girls tried to fathom what Ino and a pack of ninken had in common. Finally Haya Aburame, in her precise way, threw out the word 'predatory'. This description was unanimously approved.

Hanae Yamanaka then hesitantly offered an overheard remark about Ino being a 'man-eater'. After a brief communal silence, Nanau voiced her doubt of a link to actual cannibalism. Careful debate followed until they agreed the remark likely fell into the bizarre, hypothetical territory known to them as sex. This led to the inevitable conclusion Ino was interested in their teacher. In that way!

Twelve eleven year old girls anxiously blinked at each other, as another silence fell. Each wrestled with the unthinkable; the merging of Iruka Sensei and sex, two plainly incompatible concepts.

Fortunately, before trauma could set in, Yakima timidly observed it was one sided. This drew an instant demand for explanation. Quietly encouraged by Amaya and Umeko, she diffidently pointed out he'd never returned Ino's looks. Didn't this mean he wasn't interested?

This lead to another quick debate on whether their teacher was aware of it. He was a guy, after all, and all of them knew how dense the species could be. Look how none of the boys had picked up on this! For a brief time, the group was evenly divided for and against Iruka Sensei's knowledge of his peril.

Then, Shina Nara shrewdly pointed out their teacher had introduced the whole 'mission' idea. He'd given them the job of keeping her away from him. Obviously this meant Iruka Sensei was aware of and didn't return Ino's interest. Indirectly, undoubtedly due to the male ego's fragility, he was begging for their help against her. They were the only ones aware of this. Didn't that mean they were requiredto do everything in their power to aid their poor teacher?

Again, a dozen eleven year olds followed this to its logical conclusion. Soon, the now seriously motivated girls separated to carry out their preparations, having all sworn to ruthlessly protect their poor, besieged and much adored teacher from Ino's unwanted attentions. Tomorrow, with the gates of the village behind them, she'd be their hated adversary…

* * *

><p>Panting, Tenten held her opened scroll, as hundreds of weapons lay on the ground surrounding her. Ebisu, also breathing heavily, stood a small distance away.<p>

"I admit, that was quite impressive," he adjusted his shades.

"Thank you, Ebisu Sensei" she smiled seductively. Blushing, he nodded once.

"Now, pick a weapon of your choice. Let's see how you fight in close combat," he suggested. Instantly she summoned her Chain Wind Staff.

"Interesting choice," he murmured, brow arching. Smiling sweetly, she attacked him.

"So, Ebisu Sensei…have you got a girlfriend? She lashed skilfully with her staff. He barely dodged the swing at his head, as the question caused him to temporarily freeze.

"Um…n-no I haven't. I don't have much time to date, at present, with my workload" he struggled to sound nonchalant.

"Why…not? You're….so good looking… Ebisu Sensei. I'm sure…women are…lining up…to date you," she panted. She twisted the staff fiercely around her as he ducked low. He didn't bother attacking, settling for dodging her attacks.

Then she got her chance, as he avoided a move by dropping to the ground.

Feigning a trip on a weapon, she fell forward, staff falling, just as he rose. Their bodies connected as his hands instinctively grabbed her. They landed heavily on the ground, her on top, knocking the breath out of him. For a couple of minutes, there was silence. They lay still, the only sound, their loud heartbeats and breathing, the only movement, the rise of their chests.

Her vest, already tight, gaped even more, providing a spectacular view of her cleavage. With his sunglasses off, lost in their fall, he was obviously taking advantage of the opportunity. His eyes were glued to the sight; oblivious as lower down, his body's response became increasingly clear to her.

"Oops, I'm so sorry, Ebisu Sensei" she bit her bottom lip, pretending concern, hiding her delight as she watched a crimson line trickle out of his nose. She moved to get up; making sure her breasts pressed firmly a final time against his chest.

"Ebisu Sensei?" she murmured, looking demurely to where his hands gripped her hips. He released her instantly, his face tomato red. Sitting up, she accidently sat on the bulge between his legs. He squeaked faintly, more blood gushing out of his nose. She blinked her eyes innocently, thinking how cute he'd sounded, as he stared dazedly back, his trembling hand pulling a tissue from his pocket, in an attempt to stem the flow.

"I think that's enough for today, Ebisu Sensei. I had fun," she winked, standing. She went to pick up her scattered weaponry. He repeatedly tried to respond, mutely moving his lips, his eyes locked on every tremor of her breasts, or the curve of her ass, whenever she bent down. She finished, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. It seemed he'd forgotten how to think, let alone speak, still motionless. Finally, she placed her refilled scroll down, walking towards him, bending to lean close to his ear.

"I like you,Ebisu Sensei. Would you go out for a drink with me?" she sensually whispered. With a shocked gasp, his trembling body suddenly convulsing, before he finally nodding slowly.

"Great! I'll meet you here, tomorrow at 7pm," she smiled, aiming one last heated look at him, as she moved off. Bending slowly to grasp her rolled up scroll; she walked away without a backward glance, hearing another cute, faint squeak, followed by a thud, behind her. She giggled. Now that had been so easy…

* * *

><p>A couple of hours before dusk, Kakashi called Team Seven's stop for the night, leading them to a secluded valley. As they wiped sweat, enjoying a warm evening breeze, he assigned their chores, before dismissing them, telling them sentry duty would be discussed after camp was set up.<p>

Naruto headed out to collect firewood, while Sasuke took their largest pot to collect cooking water from a stream down the valley. They'd also be looking for various wild herbs, mushrooms and other edibles, to supplement their meal, as well as signs of other people in the vicinity.

Sakura glanced over at Kakashi, as she perused their food supplies, watching him prepare a spot for the campfire. She reflected back on what she'd learned just hours ago. She wasn't quite over the shock, but had begun to accept it. And, with the boys gone, there were questions she had to ask.

"Kakashi Sensei? I was wondering…did you know Naruto was bi?" curious, she looked up, to see his reaction.

"Yes," he calmly replied, carefully cutting grass sections away from bare earth and setting them aside. "I figured it out shortly after he got back from travelling with Jiraiya. It was an obvious conclusion when I saw him checking out Gemna and Neji with the same enthusiasm he looks at girls." He regarded her, "Jiraiya confirmed it, when I asked. I take it you just found out? Does it bother you?"

"Oh, no," she assured him, "It was just…a surprise. I mean, after his big crush on me, I never suspected he'd like boys too."

She debated their culinary options, as he searched for palm-sized stones, before adding, "What about Sasuke?"

"Sasuke?" he looked up, hands full.

"Did you ever think he's gay?" she watched him drop his stones on the patch of dirt, before looking for more.

"Well," he finally replied, after a brief silence, "I've wondered, especially with his recent monopoly of Naruto, but truthfully, he's always seemed asexual to me. He's never shown sufficient interest in either gender, to prove he has a sex drive," he dropped more stones, continuing, "I also wondered if it might account for his obsessive drive in other areas, like his vendetta against Itachi, or his plans to destroy the Leaf."

"I never thought of that," she stared at him, eyes wide, contemplating the idea. The last vestiges of her self loathing for her futile obsession fell away, as she realised, if the most observant man she knew hadn't been certain about Sasuke, she wasn't so stupid after all. It was a revelation.

She embraced it, feeling like undetected barriers were melting away, allowing her to fully accept the afternoon's surprises, feeling it settle into her bones. Her perceptions altering to match, she clearly saw how she'd instinctively used her own obsession as protection. She growled, annoyed, knowing Ino was right…again. She'd used Sasuke as an excuse, to hide, from other relationships where she'd risk painful heartbreak. Irritated at her cowardice, her new determination was to treat it like her previous problems, facing it directly, working to grow stronger, for herself and those she loved.

She looked up, a package of dried meat in hand, to see Kakashi curiously regarding her as he fashioned a stone circle in the dirt for their fire.

"Do you think Sasuke's gay?" he asked.

"Yes, he is. I found him with Naruto during our afternoon break. They both confessed. Sasuke seemed confused and uneasy, though, like it was all new to him," she placed rice, dried vegetables and herbs next to the package of meat. "What do you think we should make? Soup or stir fry and rice?" she looked up to see him sitting still, staring at her, concern in his wide, lone eye.

"So, Sasuke confirmed it?" his tone was gentle, "Is that why you've been so quiet? It must've been a shock. No wonder you're asking about this. Are you alright?"

"Of course," she assured him, smiling, "I'm fine. It just took me a while to get used it. It's sweet, but you don't need to look out for me."

"I'll always look out for you, Sakura," his eye creased into a smile, "and I think stir fry and rice sounds good. Well," he continued, amusement back in his voice, "that takes care of one problem."

"Problem?" puzzled, she watched him set the last stone in place.

"Yes. I've been wondering how we'd get privacy to practice. If the boys are…interested in each other, it won't be as hard as I thought. Did you forget about Ino's challenge?" he cheerfully reminded her, adding, "We need to practice if you want her and the other girls to believe our act. We don't have much time left to do it."

In the distance, Sasuke came into view, pot of water in hand and green vegetation peeking out of his pockets…

* * *

><p>The shopkeeper suspiciously eyed the small group of boys. They'd been intently perusing his stock for more than an hour, occasionally huddling to debate. They were doing it now, talking in excited whispers, while one held up a box of itching powder, another, a whoopee cushion. A third seemed to be in favour of the pre-cut, tag sized chakra paper. Finally, chuckling happily, they headed to the till with their booty.<p>

"You boys sound like you're up to no good," the shopkeeper observed, scanning the items. One giggled, receiving a harsh elbow to his side.

"Oh, no, sir! This is for my little brother's birthday," the one with the quick elbow handed him their money. The shopkeeper's look was sceptical as he handed back their change. He watched them leave with their purchases, shaking his head in compassion for whoever they were preparing to torment…

* * *

><p>"It'll take how long?" Naruto glared at the simmering food, stomach growling. "If I'd known, I'd have brought instant ramen! That way, I'd just have to boil water, and then wait three minutes. I could've been eating by now! Believe it!" He dropped to sit nearby, still muttering about ramen, as his team mates exchanged glances.<p>

"Well, if you want a good dinner, you'll just have to wait," Sakura fumed. She couldn't believe how childish he was at times.

"But Sakura," he whined, as her fists clenched, clear warning her anger was peaking. Their team mates flinched in anticipation, knowing mayhem was seconds away.

"Naruto, there's no point in complaining," Kakashi tried to halt the confrontation.

"Yeah, idiot, knock it off," Sasuke joined in, "You're not the only one waiting."

"But I'm hungry!" the blonde moaned, belly agreeing loudly.

"If you're going to continue this, you can take first watch," Kakashi said sternly.

"What? I thought we stopped early to take it easy," Naruto's look was sorrowful.

"Do I need to remind you of the danger?" Kakashi sighed tiredly, "Really, Naruto, you know we're all in the bingo books. Any missing nin looking for a good bounty would love to find us 'taking it easy'. That's why there's no 'easy' until we're through the village gates. Do I have to explain why after the fight this morning?"

"No," the chastised blonde sighed.

"I think this morning was too easy," Sakura told him, "It wasn't a challenge for you, and you're restless. Maybe you should take a run after dinner, get more exercise so you can settle down before your watch."

"Yeah, maybe," he replied, "Thanks, Sakura…"

* * *

><p>Iruka, fresh from a short shift on the mission desk, heard a familiar voice call, "Hello, Iruka Sensei." Turning, he saw two of his kids, Shina, and Yuki, carrying several bags.<p>

"Hello, girls. Almost ready for tomorrow?" he smiled at them.

"Yes, Sensei, we're just finishing up. Are you heading home too?" Yuki asked.

"No, I'm going to see a friend at the hospital," he told them. "After that, I'll head home."

"I hope your friend's all right, Iruka Sensei," Shina politely said.

"He's going to be fine. He'll probably be released soon," Iruka replied.

"Oh, good," Yuki smiled. She glanced at Shina before adding, "I'm sure everything will be just fine on the trip, Iruka Sensei. You don't have to worry about anything."

"Oh? That's good," Iruka blinked, puzzled by the reassurance.

"We have to get home, now," Shina quickly nudged her friend and they moved off waving good bye.

Waving, Iruka blithely moved on, wholly unaware he'd acquired an honour guard of fiercely protective little girls...

* * *

><p>Sakura watched the boys leave, Sasuke having opted to join his friend. Regarding his back, she knew she hadn't been the only one troubled about the afternoon's events. Sasuke's attitude suggested he had questions of his own. She genuinely hoped Naruto could give him answers.<p>

Sighing, she finished sealing the food and clean pots in a small scroll, bending to store it in her pack. She stood, turning. Immediately, she jumped backward yelping, nearly tripping, startled to find Kakashi right behind her. His eye crinkled in amusement.

"Kakashi Sensei! You startled me!" she gasped.

"Sorry," he replied, carelessly, before singing out, "Practice time, Sakura. I think our first act should be a simple dinner date. Do you have any objections or other suggestions?" He regarded her happily, as she shook her head no.

"Alright, we have our plan. Now…you've been reading Icha Icha," his eye twinkled mischievously at her, "What have you learned that could be useful in this situation?"

Sighing, she walked back to the fire as she considered her answer. Trying to stall, she asked, "I'm having tea, do you want some too?" She poured hot water in a tin cup, adding tea leaves.

"Sure," he followed her, taking the second cup she held out. Patiently, he waited, for the tea to steep and her answer.

"Well," she began reluctantly, "quite a few of the stories suggest a short dress with a low neckline is indispensable, but I'm sure that can't be true. Men can't be so simple to fall for that!"

"Yes, it is and they can," he confirmed easily, amused by her open disbelief. "Believe me, Sakura; even in our profession, we'll do anything for a woman in a revealing dress, including die."

"So, you're telling me all it takes is a bit of skin and cleavage?" she sarcastically challenged, "Even for you, Kakashi Sensei?"

"Well, I try not to succumb on missions," he allowed, "that tends to have deadly consequences I'd rather avoid, even when she's on the same side. Off mission, I'm just as vulnerable as any other heterosexual male."

She frowned, struggling to grasp the appeal, before finally, sighing, "Maybe I'm just not the romantic type. I can't see it. I mean, I see fully naked people all the time and it's just not that exciting, so how can a bit of fabric make a difference?"

Kakashi blinked, taking time to absorb this. The memory of another team mate, a gentle brunette with a quiet smile, made him frown. Briefly silent, he considered the many similarities and differences she had with the feisty pinkette before him. *What are you trying to tell me, Rin?* he wondered, before deciding a few questions might help.

"Could you explain?" he asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, come on, I'm a medical ninja. I've done my share of the annual physicals practically from the start of Tsunade's training and the Leaf Village has thousands of active shinobi. I've seen practically everybody naked at least once, by now, including Team Seven," she snorted, "especially this team, since I'm the official medic. Even you…well…except for your face," she amended, glancing at his mask.

"I've done so many; I don't remember when I started. It's a never-ending cycle, rinse, repeat." She sipped her tea, sourly speculating on the boring duty.

"Tsunade tends to be a brute force teacher," Kakashi observed, grinning as he heard her mutter, "You're telling me?"

"The fourth day of March," he told her, "Three months, two weeks and five days after you became her apprentice."

"What?" she blinked puzzled, lifting her cup to sip.

"The first day you began doing physicals," he replied, "You were still thirteen, three weeks from your birthday. Tsunade assigned them to help you develop a good professional attitude." Sakura froze, staring wide eyed, cup partway to her lips.

"W-what…w-when…the…h-how…how can y-you remember when I d-don't," she stammered, astonished, as his eye crinkled at her.

"Well, I suppose it's a matter of perspective," he cheerfully replied. "I don't perform physicals…or not professionally." He rubbed his mask as she squinted at him, sure there was wide grin under it, "I do, however, have only one female student. So when I find her stumbling down the road, moaning loudly and swearing she never wants to see another person naked, ever…well…let's just say it makes quite an impression."

"I…did that? Ooooh…I did…do that…didn't I?" her voice faint, the lost memory slowly surfacing, Sakura clutched her head, her face heating. He took advantage of her distraction to drink.

"It took two full helpings of tempura and a triple helping of dango to ease your trauma," he recalled nostalgically, enjoying her comical, blushing face. She moaned, face palming.

"I think it's also why you're having trouble understanding," she looked at him, seeing his seriousness. Wordlessly, she motioned him to continue.

"Since early adolescence, you've been trained to maintain a professional attitude when faced with certain stimuli, burying your natural reactions. As a medic, you have to be objective, focusing on your patients' problems, and using emotional detachment at need. The emphasis is on intellectual knowledge, requiring a logical method, a sterile and often narrow outlook, even if it's of the human body.

Normal sexual desire is the exact opposite. Emotional detachment is impossible, as emotion is a major part of it, both for your and your partner. Sensuality and seduction involves the heart, body and mind, encompassing the emotional, physical and intellectual. It's a messy, confusing process, incredible in its diversity. There are few true rules to go by; the only way to learn is through personal experience. Logic and objectivity can cause more problems than they solve," he scrutinized her face, to see if she understood.

"So…I'm not normal," she said slowly, as he shook his head.

"Of course you're normal. Just unintentionally hampered in certain areas, due to your training," he assured her.

"How did you figure that out so quickly?" she asked, baffled.

"Um…actually, I've seen it before, in another medic who was trained young," he glanced away, plainly unwilling to explain, his voice so controlled only familiarity allowed her to hear his grief.

"Oh," she said softly. Hoping to cheer him up, she thought fast, before grinning at him. "Well," her eyebrow arched, teasingly, "I thank you for the insight, Kakashi Sensei, but you're not getting out of your prostrate and STD exam!"

"Why, Sakura," he drawled, "I'm hurt! You know I genuinely value your concern for my health," his eye glinted in anticipation.

"Have I ever mentioned," he added, as she raised her cup, "that I'm not the only one? My 'Little Kakashi' does too." she choked, "particularly your gentle touch when handling him!"

*Gotcha*, he thought, grinning deviously, as wide eyed, she spewed a wide arc of tea from mouth and nose. Casually, he flicked off the few drops that reached him.

She glared over the hand on her nose, coughing briefly, before spluttering, "L-little K-Kakashi? I c-can't believe you n-name it! Men actually d-do that, like it's a p-person?" she breathed deeply, "I didn't believe anyone would do that!" She sipped her tea, trying to ease her nasal ache.

"Well, it does often have a mind of its own," he cheerfully observed, "and that's mild, as far as names go. I've heard worse."

"Not possible," she acidly growled, brushing at tea droplets on her clothes. He took another lightning fast mouthful, his mask in place before she looked up.

"You've never heard Gai after one sake too many," he accepted the challenge, watching her raise her cup again.

"Though I suppose," he added, thoughtfully, "his upgrade to 'Mighty Oak of Springtime Love," she gagged helplessly, "is better than 'Brave Little Acorn of Youth." He considerately patted her back, as she bent over wheezing. And in a final lightning move he finished his tea.

"T-Too much…information!" she gasped, "I…really…d-didn't need to…know that!" She knew she'd never see Gai without remembering!

"Then we'll have to get back on track," he cheerfully told her.

"On track?" she echoed, trying to erase Gai from her brain.

"Practice, Sakura! We need to practice! I believe," he mused, setting aside his empty cup, "we'll start with walking."

"Kakashi Sensei, I know how to walk," she glared, thinking he was joking.

"You know how to walk by yourself," he amended, "not as a couple…"

* * *

><p>Yamato laughed at Iruka's tales of his kids' plans, astonished at their scope and originality.<p>

"I must say, Iruka Sensei, it sounds like fun. I wish I could be there to see it! I have to commend you on your masterful prankster and leadership skills. With everything you and your class have planned, Ino isn't going to know what hit her!" he regarded the teacher with approval. " Too bad I can't help myself, instead of being stuck here. I'd love to take part!"

"When are you due to be released?" Iruka asked.

"According to Tsunade, sometime tomorrow, but I'm supposed to take it easy, for another day. At least it'll be in my own bed," Yamato was looking forward to it.

"So, you'll be fine for…um…light duty, after that?" Iruka rubbed his scar thoughtfully.

"Probably," Yamato replied.

"Are you serious? About wanting a part?" the teacher asked.

"Yes, very serious," the ANBU sat up, regarding his visitor with interest. "Do you have one for me?"

"Well…I have a great idea for a finale, after I return, but I'm not too certain…" Iruka regarded him, his look assessing.

"Why don't you explain, Sensei?' Yamato leaned forward, thoroughly intrigued, "Maybe we can work something out…"

* * *

><p>"Oy, Sasuke," Naruto asked, leaping to another branch, "are you alright? You haven't said much since we started out."<p>

Sasuke silently raced beside him a moment, before blurting, "How'd you find out?"

"Huh?" Naruto blinked, "Find out what?"

"How'd you find out you were bi?" he expanded impatiently.

"Well," Naruto said slowly, "I think part of me always knew, but the rest of me didn't"

"Naruto, get serious," Sasuke demanded, surprising him into slowing the pace.

"I'm being serious," the blonde's tone was wounded, "Remember; I was alone a lot as a kid. I didn't have people around to explain things. I had to figure them out from what I saw around me. So, I thought my only choice was girls. I mean, that's what all the magazines and books said."

"Wait," Sasuke stared at him, "You mean you actually read?"

"Hey," hot blue eyes glared back, "I can read!"

"Okay, okay. Just keep talking," Sasuke conceded.

Naruto ran in silence for a second, before continuing, "Now, when I think back, I wonder if it's the reason my Sexy no Jutsu is so good. If, deep down, I perfected it because I liked the way guys looked at me when I used it."

Sasuke blinked; surprised such an insightful remark had come from the famous 'knucklehead'.

Naruto glanced over, grinning. "Remember the day the Genin teams were assigned? When I got knocked into you and we wound up kissing?" He laughed. "If only we both knew back then, huh?"

"Yeah," Sasuke said softly, recalling how fixated he'd been. Would it have changed anything? He…didn't think so. His obsession with Itachi had been his life. It hadn't left room for anything else. When Itachi died, he'd immediately hid behind the shield of another obsession. He'd known no other way to survive the sudden loss of his first. He'd existed, not lived, behind it.

Until Naruto managed to tear through, reminding him of Team Seven, that 'family' wasn't limited to being born into one. His worst nightmares featured what he might've become, if he hadn't.

"So," he shook himself out of the past, "When did you figure it out?"

"During my travels with the Pervy Sage, not right away, though. See, he'd stop to do 'research'," he dropped to another branch, "Which really meant he was spying on girls. I usually tried to stay away."

"I thought you liked girls too," Sasuke was puzzled.

"I do," Naruto claimed, "but sooner or later, he'd get caught. You've never seen girls rampaging, right?"

"Girls rampage?" he looked doubtfully at the blonde, thinking he was joking.

"Yeah, they rampage! I'd sooner face the entire shinobi army than girls rampaging," he shuddered, "It's terrifying. And it's painful, if you get in the way. Believe it!"

"And how is this relevant?" Sasuke questioned.

"See, while the Pervy Sage was busy, I was on my own. Occasionally, I'd get hit on by other guys, especially as I got older. I was attracted, but didn't know how to deal, so I'd wind up pounding on them. I was really confused for a while, until the Pervy Sage noticed and began to ask questions. Then, he sat me down and explained what was happening with me. I was surprised, since I didn't know liking guys was allowed." Naruto slowed to a stop, Sasuke following his lead.

"How does it work…being bi?" he asked, feigning indifference, "Do you like both guys and girls equally?"

"Um…not really, most have a preference, but the person can count more than the gender," the Jinchuriki ran his hand through his hair, anticipating the next question.

"And your preference is…"

"Nine times out of ten, I usually choose girls," he sighed, as Sasuke flinched. "Look, what I told Sakura this afternoon is true, we're both interested, but don't know where it'll go yet. Yeah, I generally like girls more, but it also depends on the person. We've already got trust and friendship and we know we're attracted. I'm willing to take the chance if you are. We can go as fast or slow as we like."

He put his hand on Sasuke's cheek, forcing him to look at him. For a brief time blue eyes searched black, subtle clues telling him Sasuke was still confused and insecure, both with the situation and his sexuality, recalling old memories of rocky times on his own path of self discovery.

He appreciated again, how lucky he'd been, to have Jiraiya to help him over those bumps. The Sannin had proved as big-hearted as he'd been unabashedly perverted. He'd handed out generous proportions of gentle dry wisdom, astute suggestion and comic relief at need. In darker times, he'd provided a warmly consoling shoulder for tears, a silently patient ear for troubles. With a pang, Naruto knew he'd always love him, miss him, his lost precious person. And, in his honour, he'd strive to be as supportive to this, another of his precious people.

"Look, Sasuke, I know what you're going through. You have to realise you're not alone," he smiled gently at him.

"There are lots of other people, even some ninja, who've been through it, are going through it or will be. The first thing you need to do is accept it. It's part of you. It can be confusing, even scary, and, no lie; you'll see some prejudice because of it. But I promise, it gets better," he sighed, blue eyes candidly meeting Sasuke's.

"Unfortunately, it's one of those things you've got to go through it to get to the other side, there's no short cut."

Sasuke took a moment to absorb this. He knew he'd need time and privacy to deliberate before coming to terms with the knowledge. Reluctantly, he looked away from the breathtaking honesty in those blue eyes, moving a short distance, until he'd regained his poise. Only then did he turn to speak.

"You've got to start your watch soon, so I'd better head back," he said, evenly.

"Yeah," Naruto grimaced, "Look, just think over what I've said. I'll be here if you need to talk. It helps."

"I know. I'll see you back at camp later," Sasuke leaped into the trees. Naruto watched him until he was out of sight, before moving to start watch duty…

* * *

><p>Hinata closed the fifth Icha Icha book, blushing dramatically as she finished reading the vivid sex scene between the two characters in the last story. Images of Naruto and her filled her mind, playing out the scenes she'd read. She wanted him - she'd worked that out as she'd grown older and learned about the intimate ways of sex. She wanted him to touch her, kiss her and make love to her, exactly like the characters did in the book. It was why she'd remained a virgin for so long, silently hoping deep down that he would be her first and, corny as it sounded, her only. She couldn't bear the thought of being with anyone else. It was literally impossible. Her love and obsession were too deep, developing steadily over more than a decade now.<p>

Getting out of bed, she hid her book with the rest of them, pulling out the next. Her eyes landed on the shopping bags and with a small smile, she opened one in particular. She pulled out a sleeveless violet silk dress with thin straps, which she knew would fit snugly against her breasts, clinging to her waist before flaring out, to swirl around her thighs. But the reason she'd fallen in love with it wasn't due to that. It was because of the exquisite design in white, which encircled the dress's waistline. There was no doubt about it, the dress was stunning and when she'd tried it on, she felt beautiful. Her eyes shining happily as she twirled around, causing the skirt to dance.

Tenten had gawped when she'd seen her, nodded excitedly, saying she had to buy it and she'd done so. It was now officially her favourite dress, one she wanted to save for the perfect occasion she hoped would happen. She wanted Naruto to see her wearing it.

Feeling hungry, she decided the next book would have to wait while she grabbed a bite to eat. Hiding it underneath her pillow, she headed for the kitchen…

* * *

><p>Okay, Sakura thought, this isn't too bad, as she walked beside Kakashi. She experimented with swinging their joined hands, noting how warm and solid his felt in hers. She liked it, she decided, as they ambled in a circuit around the camp, quietly appreciating the birdsong around them. For a few seconds further, she kept reality at bay, before sighing.<p>

"Kakashi Sensei, if this is all our performance is going to consist of; Ino's going to laugh us out of the village. She'll never buy it."

"Well, I'd say we have this in hand," Kakashi said casually, as she groaned at the pun. "So we can go to the next step."

"Next step?" she asked.

Taking her hand, he placed it in the fold of his elbow, so now they walked arm in arm. This forced her into closer proximity with him, near enough to feel his body heat, occasionally bump hips. Instinctively, her free hand joined the other on his arm, feeling the firm hardness of his bicep. Unbidden, memory came of how leanly muscular Kakashi was, under that uniform. Feeling the smooth flex of arm muscle, she bit her lip, suppressing a shiver.

"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked, noting a light flush to her cheeks.

"Um, yeah, I'm fine," she blinked up at him, distracted by her own reactions.

"On to the next," he gently pulled her closer, moving her hand to his waist as his own moved to hers.

This brought their sides flush against each other. She stiffened, before slowly forcing herself to relax, matching strides with him. She was keenly aware of his body, its heat and hardness, as it met hers, interacted intimately, from shoulder to thigh, with each step. Her free hand found its way to his, on her waist, covering it, a move he echoed. Her arm recorded his shifting back muscles, bare of the flak jacket he'd removed at the start.

Her reactions under this onslaught of sensation, was confusing. There was a tension in her lower belly, strange, yet surprisingly pleasant. She felt a growing desire to get closer, to bask in his body heat. Suddenly aware of thoughts of the surprising softness of skin over hard muscle, she turned her blushing face away. Her hope of escaping notice proved forlorn. Her inattention caused her to trip and he instinctively caught her, pulling her even closer. A shiver ran through her as the answering jolt in her belly caused her breath to hitch, almost gasping.

"Sakura?" he eyed her bright blush, sensitive of her agitation. "Do you want to take a break?"

"Um…maybe we should," she uneasily avoided his eye. He gently separated from her. She immediately missed him, feeling abandoned. She shivered again, from the loss of his warmth.

They walked another circuit around the camp as she fought for composure. She couldn't believe herself! She'd trusted Kakashi with her life countless times. They'd been in situations where they'd seen each other or been forced into contact much more flagrant than this. Only girl on the team, she'd learned quickly that modesty died fast in the field, doubly so for a medic.

This made her reactions to him now so baffling. Maybe if she tried to consider it as a…moving hug? Would that work? Then he'd never find out and she could save herself from embarrassment. She glanced furtively at Kakashi, only to find his eye bright with interest watching her back.

Yeah, she sighed in irritable resignation, fat chance of that! The damn man noticed everything. If she wanted to humble Ino, she'd have to suck up the embarrassment and get on with it.

"Ready to continue?" his eye crinkled, as he invited her back into his embrace. She slipped back into her former position; aware part of her was thrilled to return. All that was missing, she thought sourly, was for Inner Sakura to dance around singing Hallelujahs.

Hoping talk would distract her, she asked, "Kakashi Sensei, is all this really necessary?"

"If we're going to convince Ino we're lovers, we have to appear intimate," he calmly answered,"This means you need to be comfortable with me in sexually stimulating situations to be believable. It's fairly simple to tell the state of a couple's relationship by how they act together. It's common practice to use that on missions where the objective is to cause strife or seduce one of the pair. Ino's been on a few of those, so she'll be aware of the signs. We won't have room for mistakes."

"And this is the only way to achieve that?" she dourly foresaw more indignity in her near future.

"Well," he rubbed his head ruefully, "Yes. It's a situation where experience counts. We need to discover and work with what you'll be comfortable doing. With the time constraints, it's quicker and easier to find out by doing."

"Yeah," she sighed, reconciled to her doom, "I can see that."

He glanced down, taking in her glumness. Considering ways to lighten her mood, his eye twinkle mischievously, as an idea formed.

"Ready for a simple variation?" he cheerfully asked.

"I guess so," gleefully, he saw she wasn't paying strict attention. Carefully removing her hand from his waist, he repositioned it, squeezing her hand to ensure she firmed her grip. He waited for her to notice as they walked on.

Sakura gradually became aware of the continuous flexing of muscle in the palm of her hand. Puzzled, glanced at Kakashi, finding him studiously ignoring her. Instantly wary, her eyes narrowed, trying to fathom what was happening.

When she noticed the flexing matched his stride, comprehension dawned, causing her eyes to fly wide. But, before she could act, an annoyed voice behind them interrupted…

* * *

><p>Satisfied, Ino sat back on her bed. Everything was ready, her lingerie inside her backpack, a scroll set aside for the morning, to store the refrigerated wine coolers and snacks in. While packing, she'd planned possible stratagem, making contingencies for everything she could think of, on the grounds it would save her precious time later.<p>

Tomorrow was the fifth day, leaving only two more to go. In total, she'd have two days and one night to accomplish her goal. They'd return to the village late on the sixth, leaving her with little remaining time to act, so this trip was probably her last, best chance. With the kids nothing to worry about, she'd only have Iruka to deal with. Smirking, she considered her plan again, knowing it had no chance of failing.

Content, she decided to call Tenten, to discover how her 'training' with Ebisu had gone. Getting comfortable for a good chat, she dialled her number on her bedside phone, waiting while it rang several times before Tenten answered with, "Hello?"

"It's Ino… So, tell me…what happened with Ebisu?" she inquired, hungry for gossip…

* * *

><p>"What the hell is going on here?" Sasuke glared at them.<p>

Belatedly, she reclaimed her hand from its snug grip on the left side of Kakashi's ass. Her face flamed in embarrassment.

"Um…nothing," she blinked, experiencing a skewed deja vu.

"That didn't look like nothing" he pointed out, impatiently, "Are you in a relationship?"

"No, it's nothing like that," she protested, before hissing, "Jump in anytime, please," to where Kakashi watched in amusement.

"Actually, I'm helping Sakura with a problem," he obligingly supplied.

"Uh huh," Sasuke was cynical, "Just what problem could she have that requires her to grab your ass?"

"A matter of a challenge, from Ino," Kakashi expanded, as Sakura wished for a quick death.

"Riiiight," Sasuke glanced dubiously between them, a faint glint in his eye.

Sakura's eyes narrowed, suspecting payback for his afternoon embarrassment. She shot her own look between the two men, irritation rising. She debated who to kill first, Kakashi, for starting this, or Sasuke, for taking reprisal.

Regrettably, Sasuke thwarted her plans. With flawless timing, he parted with a cool, "Whatever!" stalking back to camp, leaving her to stare after him.

"Well, now that's over," Kakashi said cheerfully, as she turned to glared at him, "Let's move on to something else…"

* * *

><p>When her phone rang, Hinata looked up from her book, and then moved to answer it.<p>

"Hello?" she said.

"Hinata? It's Tenten. I just spoke to Ino. She thinks we should meet tomorrow," Tenten told her.

"What time?" Hinata mentally reviewed her plans for the next day.

"In the morning, at her place, before she has to leave," said Tenten.

"That's fine. I can be there" she answered.

"Great, see you tomorrow then," said Tenten, before they exchanged goodbyes, hanging up…

* * *

><p>Kakashi, pleased for his foresight, effortlessly juggled the two tea cups, and small box of dango. After Sasuke left, he'd recognised the signs of mayhem in Sakura's eyes. Allocating her to prepare a nearby small clearing, he'd prudently made a temporary escape while she calmed down. He'd originally brought the dango as a practice aid. Now it'd also dispel any lingering risk of her killing him.<p>

Reaching the clearing, he saw she was just finishing, positioning a final log, before noticing him.

"So, you're back, Kakashi Sensei," she looked around her, "Is this what you wanted?"

"It's fine, Sakura," His eye assessed the makeshift log 'table' and 'chairs', "Good work."

He set his burden on the 'table', the cups on opposite sides, the dango the middle. Then, he grandly invited her over with, "Please be seated, Sakura," before sitting himself. She sat opposite to him, her eyes wary as they travelled between her tea and him.

"You're not planning to make me spit out or gag on this, are you," her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Sakura," he playfully reprimanded, "How can you think such a thing?"

"Oh, I don't know," she replied drolly, "Experience maybe? I mean it, Kakashi Sensei; you've been in a real teasing mood tonight."

"Really?" he tilted his head, eye dancing, "I never knew you considered me a tease, Sakura."

She scowled; irritated with the easy way he'd turned her own words against her. Hoping it wasn't a forewarning, she decided discretion was in order. Besides, she was becoming curious.

"So, what're we doing now?" she asked, glancing over the 'table's' contents.

"We've covered the pre and post portions by 'walking', so now we're at the main event," he informed he, eye crinkling, "Welcome to dinner at Chez Kakashi."

"And what happens at Chez Kakashi?" she regarded him curiously.

"Well, let's see," he considered his options. "Why don't we start with this? Hungry?" he asked as he opened the box, removing a dango stick, offering it to her. When she reached her hand out, he pulled it back.

"Uh-uh, not that way," he told her.

"Then how am I supposed to eat it?" she asked perplexed. He waited his gaze steady on hers. For a brief moment she stared back, puzzled, before comprehension dawned.

"You want to feed me," she blinked as he nodded, motioning her to lean toward him. Slowly, hesitant, she complied.

"Oh, wait," he forestalled her, returning the dango to the box. Bemused, she observed him remove his gloves with quick efficiency. Then to her amazement, he pulled his forehead protector off his scarred left eye, exposing his closed sharingan.

"There," he said, reclaiming the dango. Placing his elbows on the 'table', he leaned forward, offering it to her. Placing her own elbows, she also leaned, glancing at the dango before gazing steadily at him. He moved the dango closer to her lips and they opened to accept it. He watched her carefully pull the treat off the stick, instinctively licking her lips after. They repeated the manoeuvre several times, before Sakura leaned slightly back, her hands in front of her.

"So, is this all? It seems pretty simple," she glanced at the dango, "Don't you want any, Kakashi Sensei? They're good."

"I'm glad you like them," he reached his hand out covering one of hers. Casually, his thumb stroked the soft skin of her wrist. Startled, her eyes locked on his, the warm gaze in them capturing her effortlessly. Distracted, she didn't notice the disparity at first. Then she realised she was looking into a mismatched pair, one dark, the other crimson accented by onyx tomoe. She wondered when and why he'd opened it, her brow furrowing.

"Kakashi Sensei, you're not using a genjutsu for this, are you?" she asked, suspiciously.

"No," he assured her, "I just thought two would be more effective." Noting it was true by the tomoe's sluggish speed, she dismissed the concern, valuing the rarity of seeing both eyes.

His thumb continued its slow caress. His hand lifted hers, his second joining it to gently massage and stoke. Their solid warmth recalled earlier sensations in vivid detail. Looking away, she repressed a shiver at their intensity.

"Are you alright," his voice was warmly, deeply masculine, evoking nameless yearnings aroused by memory. She wordlessly nodded, blushing, the pleasant tension back in her belly.

"Sakura," the syllables rolled out in a verbal caress, quiet, warm, loving, her name exotic in a way she'd never heard before. Her eyes were drawn helplessly back to his, as he turned her hand, tracing palm lines lightly with gentle fingers, causing goosebumps to shiver across her arms.

Her eyes, Kakashi thought, were stunning, wide, green and movingly trusting as she gazed into his. Deeply appreciative of that trust, loath to betray by accident, he kept his moves slowly gentle, alert for signs he was exceeding hers limits. Drawing her hand toward him, he brushed masked lips over knuckles, delighted to hear her breath catch. He ran a hand down her arm, off it completely, into the dango box. Slowly he drew out a stick, leaning closer to hold it to her lips.

"More?" he asked softly, smile quirking beneath mask, enjoying her reaction.

Hearing the soft question, Sakura's mind conjured two totally different interpretations. While one took it to mean the obvious more dango, another whispered a blissful interpretation of more Kakashi. She was briefly bemused by the choice, finding the latter the more alluring. But sensibility prevailed, and with unexpected disappointment, she chose the dango.

Kakashi's masked lips smoothed over her knuckles again, eyes on her lips as her tongue slide sensually over them. He fed her the rest just to watch. The box finally empty, he returned his attention to her hand, this time turning it to kiss the palm.

As he did, she shivered. Casually, he reached over, hand brushing back a strand of hair before sliding lightly to rest on the side of her face. Her free hand rose to cover it. His thumb stroked her cheek as he kissed her palm. He was vaguely conscious of tightness in his crotch, but the bulk of his attention was on her.

Instinctively, she echoed him, turning her face to brush lips against palm. Her breath sped, the tension below turning to an aching need. Her entire world was comprised of Kakashi, his voice, his touch, his eyes, the sheer uncompromising maleness of him. He was the only thing existing in her awareness.

He moved forward on his log, trying to get closer, his legs shifting under the 'table'. One of them slid against hers, the unexpected contact bringing shocking results.

She gasped loudly into his palm, her vision blurring and her back arching as the ache below exploded into internal tremors. When her sight returned, she found she was breathless, shaking. Her face flamed as she became aware of how damp she was between her legs.

"Sakura," the concern in Kakashi's voice made her stiffen. She didn't dare look at him. She noticed she was tightly gripping his hand and quickly released it. She tried to reclaim her other hand, but he tightened his hold, foiling her urge to escape.

"It's alright, you're alright," he assured her with gentle firmness, "You're going to be fine. We just took it too far. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Everything will be fine."

He waited for her breathing to ease, her trembling to stop. She peeked up at him; he smiled reassuringly, encouraging her. When she could meet his eyes, he gave her hand a final squeeze before releasing it, turning away briefly to don gloves and pull down his forehead protector. They sat quietly together, in the growing gloom of dusk, until the tension between them eased into companionable silence. Finally, she mustered the courage to break it.

"Well," she said feebly, feeling silly, "That was embarrassing."

"I found it enlightening," Kakashi's eye crinkled kindly.

"I'll bet you did," she glared at him, "It probably reminded you of your favourite Icha Icha porn scene."

"There were similarities," he conceded cheerfully, "Which you'd already know, being a new convert to the joys of the series yourself."

She glanced irritably at him, before downing her cold tea. Peering into the empty cup, she sighed, "We should get back to camp. I'm last on watch, so I've got to get some sleep."

"Yes," he agreed, lifting his own cup and the empty box from the 'table' as he stood. She joined him, carrying her own, looking back over her shoulder as they started to leave.

"So much for Chez Kakashi, closed down after only one customer," she remarked, grinning at him, "So much for your career as a restaurateur, Kakashi Sensei."

"My successful career, Sakura," he corrected her, eye twinkled merrily at her, "You're overlooking the one important detail that makes it a crowning achievement!"

"And what's that?" her look was perplexed.

"I may've had only one customer," he informed her, grinning, "But her review was spectacular!"

As she gasped, raising her fist, he wisely took off running…

* * *

><p>Iruka finally reached home, with a bag of take out. Now he just had to finish his marking and packing, then he'd be free to head to bed. In the morning, he needed to meet the kids at the Academy. No doubt checking all their gear and the last minute lectures were going to take him most of the morning. He hoped to get them to the gate to meet Ino around noon. The next two days were going to be chaotic, so he'd need to keep his eye on them, making sure they abided by the rules he'd set.<p>

After all they were only kids. When they were excited, things were bound to get out of control…

* * *

><p>Sakura lay quietly reviewing her evening. She wryly remembered, just days ago, her surprise hearing Tenten found Kakashi sexy. She'd thought she'd known him, admiring and loving him, as a teacher, friend, and comrade, accepting both virtues and faults. Now she realised, his maleness had escaped all but her periphery awareness. She'd never truly seen him as a man, with needs and desires, who could be needed and desired in turn. After tonight, she knew she'd never forget.<p>

When she'd accepted his help to win Ino's challenge, she'd never foreseen this result. It'd sounded so simple, just playacting. It wasn't simple anymore. She had to give credit where due, Kakashi was an incredible actor. She'd never known she'd respond to him like that.

She turned in her blankets, seeking sleep, trying to ignore the wistful whisper inside that wished it'd been real…

* * *

><p>AN: So did you like it? Please review :D


	10. The Victorious Team Returns

A/N: I am so, so sorry for taking this long to update. A big thank you to Kashi-Cookie-Monster, StoryReader9, Xoulblade, Melissaveneziano, Kisses-diana, InARealPickle, Drea1284, Skhos4, MissVoiceLess, Joys, Allie, Cool-chick-rae, Fangrlindenial, Dis Be A Pen Name, Catty12, Keiko the cashew, Konoha's Hanyou Kunoichi, Ashley, and ThatRuthlessRainbowKid for reviewing. You guys are the best! Please continue to show your enjoyment, and motivate me to write more! :D

**Also**, I wanted to give you, the readers, the opportunity to help Iruka and his class! Please feel free to share any idea for pranks you may have, or wish to see happening. I'd be happy to have them in the story, if they're good enough! See you in the next chapter!

* * *

><p><strong>Seven Days of Seduction – Chapter 10 – The Victorious Team Returns…<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

Returning from his first patrol circuit, Sasuke walked through camp, his footsteps cloaked by the soft sound of insects. His eyes flicked to each sleeping team mate, checking how they'd fared in his absence. Finding all well, he chose a nearby tree as his watch post. Moving to take up residence, he got comfortable on a branch overlooking the camp, shoving hand in pockets.

He enjoyed these times, he thought, alone in the darkness. It looked like it would be an uneventful, quiet…

"…Aaa-ymeee….cld I hhAAaaaave a prk raammmnn? …Mmmm…raaammmmnn. …sssss…guuud!…"

…alright, Sasuke winced, identifying Naruto, sleep talking again, a not so quiet night. Listening, he gazed at the people curled in their blankets.

He considered his friend, uncomfortably remembering their earlier talk. He'd intended to use the time before his watch carefully thinking over the Jinchuuriki's words when he'd left him. Instead, he'd been unexpectedly distracted from the plan.

His eyes moved to the lightly shifting Sakura, then to the relaxed, still Kakashi. Yes, he acknowledged, it'd failed the moment he'd discovered them on his return to camp. Unconsciously, he smirked, eyes brightening at the memory.

He'd watched their surprising behaviour from hiding, wondering if, in his recently preoccupation, he'd missed seeing signs of their mutual attraction to each other. Sakura's behaviour convinced him this was doubtful. That left the possibility they were engaging in one of Kakashi's eccentric exercises, though its purpose eluded him.

Recalling his afternoon encounter with Sakura, he'd begun calculating the situation with new interest. While he was estimating his chances of surviving her wrath for payback, Kakashi had moved her hand from his waist onto his own ass. The opening had been irresistible and he'd gleefully taken immediate advantage of it. To his joy, Sakura's reactions had been priceless!

He'd escaped, unscathed, to a celebratory cup of tea back in camp. When Kakashi quirked a humorous brow at him on his own brief visit, he'd studiously ignored it. He'd fallen into a sleep not even Naruto could disturb until Kakashi's touch signalled his watch turn.

And his original plan continued to fail miserably, he thought, casting a penitent glance at the muttering blonde. Even now, in the quiet darkness, he kept trying to mull over the information he'd been given. Every effort quickly detoured to the memory of Sakura's face as she snatched her hand off Kakashi's ass. His brow quirked, as his thoughts were diverted even more by his rapidly growing curiosity.

It was no secret Ino and Sakura were rivals, similar to him and Naruto. But just what had Ino challenged Sakura to? How had Kakashi gotten involved? And, how the hell did whatever his two team mates were doing last night, especially her hand on his ass, factor into it?

The puzzle kept him entertained throughout the rest of his watch…

* * *

><p>Yawning, Sakura prepared for her watch tour. Rubbing her eyes, she heaved a resigned sigh as Naruto drooled and chewed on his pillow nearby, mumbling about ramen. Sasuke passed by on his way to bed, a faint smirk and a suspicious glint in his eyes causing hers to narrow. She snorted to herself; sure he was still amused from catching her with her hand on Kakashi's ass. Boys, she grumbled silently, were so easily entertained at times!<p>

After a few quick stretches, she darted out of camp to run a quick patrol of the area. Her senses alert, she refused to be distracted from duty while responsible for her boy's safety. On her return, she gently checked on them before taking up post in a tree.

She settled on her branch, eyes drifting to Kakashi's still form, as she silently returned to the musings interrupted by sleep. She could, she concluded, at least honestly claim last night was an eye opening experience for her. Embarrassing, almost traumatizing, but yes, eye opening. Then she grimaced, remembering the other embarrassing affect of their 'practice' - to her dreams.

She hadn't minded the greater depth of detail or the intensely intimate sensuality of those dreams. She had minded the leading role taken by a certain porn loving jounin. Especially during the weird one where he'd tied her up with ramen noodles and ravished her senseless, while relentlessly read Icha Icha to her, as Gai Sensei's voice sang about Youthful Springtime Love in the background. That one had opened a whole different level of 'eye opening' – one she could happily do without!

She glared uneasily at the sleeping Copy Nin. Did the man have to be so…so…infuriatingly him…even in her dreams? And, she fumed, glaring at the mumbling Naruto; they really needed to do something about his ramen obsession. Dealing with them could be bad enough when she was awake; she really didn't need them subliminally influencing her dreams!

As for Gai…even Inner Sakura flatly refused to go there!

Her mind on noodles and Icha Icha, she firmly squashed the tiny voice with its wish Kakashi's acting – and the dreams – last night had been reality, telling it no, some wishes were just way too….bizarre…for reality! She had enough problems! Like her present need get through the next few days and win Ino's challenge - without doing anything worthy of death by humiliation, or losing Kakashi's friendship.

Naruto's sleepily requested more ramen, causing her brow to worriedly crease as association brought Hinata to mind. She fretted how the shy Hyuuga, with her long crush on him, would take her news. She hoped she could find a good way to explain it to her without hurting her in the process. After all, it wasn't as if she didn't have a chance with him, she just had some…unforeseen competition.

Putting her dreams and troublesome team mates –especially the silver haired one - firmly out of her mind, Sakura began to diligently search for the right words for her coming exchange with Hinata…

* * *

><p><strong>*<strong>"…aaah, Kakashi…more….please…" she begged, moaning, her head falling back, green eyes hazed with desire.

He moved above her, inside her, as they coupled in the large, surprisingly comfortable ramen bowl. Her pink tresses spread across the noodles, her breasts vibrating from the vigour of their exertions, the way she gasped his name between her breathy moans, all conspired to drive him insane with need. He plunged faster, harder, groaning in pleasure as her tight heat, her entire body, enfolded him. They moved aggressively, their lovemaking frantic, as together they drove toward the inevitable sweat soaked finale. All too soon, they rode the cusp, the very edge between the height and the fall, waiting for the dizzying spiral into fulfilment. He felt a howl rising in his throat, ready to burst free with his orgasm.

"Kakashi!" he felt her inner folds tighten around him as her fervent, breathless voice escalated, chanting, "Oooooh, yes! Kakashi! OOOOH, YES! OOOOOHH, GOD,YES! KAKAAASHIII PLEASE…PLEASE…"*****

"…DOBE…get the hell up already!"

Lying perfectly still, Kakashi jolted from dreaming to full wakefulness. Eyes closed, he let his other senses monitor the situation for danger, a method painstakingly learned in ANBU training, as he prepared for potential combat. Instead, he recognised the customary battle to awaken Naruto, so he let his inner tension ease back, turning to other concerns.

Like his other appallingly more…personal predicament – the urgent need to deal with his painfully hard erection. Silently cursing his luck for being male and thus prone to ill-timed horniness, he opened his eye fractionally, carefully finding the others, hopeful they hadn't yet noticed.

Sakura, to his intensely sincere gratitude, was concentrating on shaking Naruto, her back to him. His lone eye shifted to Sasuke, preparing to throw water on the blonde. He wryly identified the Uchiha's voice as guilty of cutting short his late lamented dream. Finally his eye fell on the culprit most likely responsible for that dream's ramen bowl 'bed' - Naruto, still groggily protesting their efforts. Deciding they were effectively preoccupied, Kakashi carefully rose. Calling on all his extensive training, he quietly slipped away unnoticed, in search of a little alone time to deal with his…pressing problem…

* * *

><p>Naruto yawned, neatly rolling his blankets up between bites of breakfast. He glancing around, double-checking everything was either already in or waiting to be put in his pack. He'd learned the hard way how forgetful he could be when forced awake too early; he needed to take extra care not to leave things behind.<p>

Pausing to concentrate on food, he watched his companions busily going about their own routines. Sakura frowned thoughtfully, splitting her efforts between eating and carefully checked her equipment. Due to his lightning eating habits, Kakashi was already busy dismantling the campfire, his pack prepared beside him. The jinchuuriki's brow furrowed briefly as his gaze found Sasuke's back. The dark haired Uchiha was also eating, his dark eyes scanning the gear spread out beside him before packing it.

Quietly sighing, Naruto looked down at his meal. He hoped last night's conversation had helped his friend but knew it'd take time to see the results. Sasuke didn't adapt easily when it came to personal matters. His anxiety took form in long hours brooding alone, going over all the possible consequences. He could only reassure him of his support while waiting for his response. With a last glance at his friend's back, he focused back on his activities.

At least, he grinned to himself, in a few hours, he'd be back in the village. Then it would be time for ramen! He'd dreamed of eating giant bowls of it all night! Finishing his, now, inadequate meal, he began to give more attention to his packing, his mind already preoccupied with a better, future feast…

* * *

><p>Feeling the sensation of eyes on his back, Sasuke twisted to glance around, frowning. Briefly considering the others, he concluded the Naruto was the likeliest culprit. He turned back, feeling a little guilty of his failure to properly think over his friend's words, before he concentrated on his packing, storing a pair of scrolls in his pack between mouthfuls of food…<p>

* * *

><p>Kakashi stored the empty water pot in a small scroll, before placing it into his hip pack. Lifting the first grass section, he carefully fit it into the now wet, bare patch he'd originally cut it from. As he worked through the pile, he quietly, roundly cursed his situation and his sharingan.<p>

What'd started as an innocent gesture, to relax Sakura during their exercise, had led to unfortunate results. It'd been his fault. Her trust, her honest reactions, had fascinated him and he'd pushed, carefully he'd believed, trying to find her limits. He'd never thought it'd go beyond their control. Then their legs brushed and her reaction shocked him, staring motionless at her. Her ensuing distress had been upsetting for him too; he unreservedly criticized himself for letting it go so far.

While he'd waited for the unbearable tension between them to ease, for Sakura to say something, he'd honestly been afraid, that he'd done harm, not only to her, but to their cherished friendship. He was still thankful she'd been so tolerant.

Afterwards, on his watch tour, a review of the incident had led to an inconvenient discovery. Sakura'd questioned the sharingan's genjutsu casting ability; they'd both completely forgotten its recording ability. In his shock, he'd accidentally copied the event in exquisitely intimate detail. It'd even recorded his reactions to her, which he'd been only vaguely unconscious of at the time. With Sakura and his recent scare in mind, he'd firmly decided to forget the memory. That had worked for the rest of his watch. It'd held while he woke Sasuke and prepared for bed, listening to Naruto mutter rambling ramen orders.

Then he'd fallen asleep and his firm resolve had spectacularly crashed and burned, leading to a series of increasingly…vivid dreams. With Sakura his enthusiastic co-star, they'd engaged in deeds far beyond what'd originally happened. Deeds he'd enjoyed sharing with her far too much. Those exploits had climbed to delightful heights before, at a…very sensitive moment, the predawn efforts to wake Naruto had interrupted them.

Patting the final grass section down, he was thankful again for the ANBU stealth training that'd got him out of the potentially awkward situation. It was a pity it couldn't help him with the innocent instigator. He just sincerely hoped, for his personal health, Sakura never found out about the memory or its dream inspired results. The risk of her painful retaliation aside, he didn't want it causing more confusion or difficulty than she'd already had…or might be having.

Since his return from relieving his…quandary, he'd been covertly studying her. Despite her assurances to him last night, he'd seen signs she might be suffering more than she was letting on. She'd been distant, her conduct suggesting difficulty dealing with a problem, all through breakfast. Even now, she looked troubled as she packed. If she was having problems, it was plainly his fault. He needed to take responsibility and deal with it.

Clearly, they had to talk…

* * *

><p>Still meditating on her upcoming meeting with Hinata, Sakura was startled when a gentle hand on her shoulder snapped her out of her thoughts.<p>

"Sakura?" Turning she found Kakashi crouched behind her, his lone eye gazing at her as his voice softly continued, "Are you okay?"

"Of course I am, Kakashi Sensei. Why wouldn't I be?" She heard herself respond automatically. The warm hand on her shoulder stirred up butterflies in her stomach. Self-conscious, feeling his eyes on her, she shifted away and the hand instantly vanished.

It strongly reminded her of what'd happened between them the night before and her following dreams, of her confusing mixed feelings for the situation – and him. What'd started off as simple playacting – wasn't any longer. Inexperienced though she was, she knew attraction when she felt it. She was sure there was the possibility of something more there. It was the only explanation for her reactions to him, both in the exercise and in the dreams.

"I just wondered. You seemed…bothered by something," though his voice seemed casual, she had the vague feeling something was off. She looked up at him, as he stood. From what she could see in the pale predawn light, his composure, face and body language remained unchanged. Why did she have the notion he was worried, possibly a little…guilty?

"I'm fine," she smiled absent-mindedly, her mind preoccupied by it, as she rose as well, "There's nothing to worry about."

"I see," he didn't sound convinced, then, after a brief pause, added thoughtfully, "Come with me, please."

"Kakashi Sensei…what…" she paused, as he signalled for silence. Perplexed, she followed him, out of their team mates hearing, a small distance away from the camp. She cautiously watched him turn back to her.

"There, much better," his eye crinkling, "Now we can talk freely."

"Talk about what?" she sounded wary. He sighed, rubbing his hair.

"About what's worrying you," he replied concerned.

"I already told you," her irritation flared briefly, "I'm not. Why do you think I am?" As she glared at him in the following silence, he regarded her steadily back.

"I had the impression you were troubled," he eventually spoke, "I hope what happened last night isn't bothering you."

"What do you mean?" Guarded, she wondered how carefully he'd been observing her.

"You've been worried, coping with some problem on your own, all through breakfast," he told her gently, "I can't help but feel your anxiety is about our plan and…me. I felt I needed to clarify…I'd never deliberately trick or force you into doing things you'd find upsetting or objectionable. I don't want you to feel you're obligated to follow through if you don't feel safe doing so…or with me. I'd never betray your trust like that. If what happened…if being around me…is causing you difficulty, there's no need to continue, we can stop. I'd never intentionally damage our relationship, our friendship, for something as petty as Ino's challenge."

Touched, she could see he was serious and understood, knowing she might've come to the same conclusion in similar circumstances.

"It's not like that, Kakashi Sensei," she honestly reassured, "I totally trust you. What happened last night didn't change that, despite being…well…a bit embarrassing. It's nothing I can't handle. My mind was just…on other things, not that." Looking away, she hoped he wouldn't pursue the matter. Though she was disturbed about what happened…and him…it wasn't in the manner he'd assumed.

"So, you have no objections to continuing with our plan? You're secure doing so, despite the danger of…unexpected, possibly…awkward consequences? During our practices or our performances?" Searchingly he observed her for signs she was deceiving him…and possibly herself.

"Yeah," she turned back, smiling warmly at him, "We can pick it up back at the village." She ignored the flutter in her stomach at the thought.

"Hmm," he paused, pensive and she took the opportunity to end the conversation. She was afraid if it continued, she'd blurt out something stupid. She'd learned the hard way he had the uncanny ability to make you do such things.

"Come on, Kakashi Sensei. The boys will be looking for us. We need to help break camp, so we can leave," she inwardly heaved a relieved sigh as she led the way back, him following. The boys, still busy with breakfast and their packing hadn't noticed their absence…

* * *

><p>Iruka drank deeply from his coffee mug, grimacing before setting it down. With the campaign against Ino ahead, he'd brewed it extra strong, figuring he'd need the stamina and clarity.<p>

His gaze travelled over the table, mentally re-examining his assessments of his needs as he double-checked his equipment. Thoughtfully, he added extra rolls of wire, commonly used tags and bandages to their prospective piles, before eyeing the coffee and restorative tea packets in another. Hands on hips, his head tilted, frowning before wheeling to move down the hall.

Opening a closet, he scanned the shelves filling it. From one, he took two small, empty pill bottles. From a nearby larger bottle, he removed three small round soldier pills, placing them in one of the empties, while in the other; he poured several blood replacement pills from another large bottle. Pill bottles in hand, he returned to his kitchen. It was better to have them and not need them, he knew, than the reverse.

With quick efficiency, he stored the various piles in the appropriate scrolls before carefully repacking them. His eyes flicked to his kitchen clock, as he lifted his mug to drain its contents. Pulling his flak jacket from the back of a chair, he shrugged into it, checking its pockets before fastening it, as vigilant in his preparations as he would be for a mission or war. Carrying his pack in one hand, he moved to the door to slip on his sandals. Then, shifting it to his shoulder as he locked his door, he headed for the Academy…

* * *

><p>Ino got out of bed with a satisfied smile, ready for her day after an early bedtime and good rest. As she went about her morning ablutions, she looked forward to seeing the other girls at nine. They'd have time to visit and catch up before she had to leave to meet Iruka Sensei's class at the gate.<p>

Who knew, maybe Sakura would be back. Ino hoped so. She was dying to know what progress or, more likely, lack of it she'd made with Kakashi. She smirked, speculating on the possible embarrassments Sakura'd gone through in her impossible effort to win their challenge.

She, on the other hand, was well on her way to victory! As she slipped into her chosen outfit, she congratulated herself on all her careful planning the night before. She even had a ready made assistant, her cousin Hanae, to help her plans along. All she needed to do, she thought, inspecting the ready backpack, was the last minute addition of her edibles.

Well, she might show off her lingerie. Tenten had been suitably impressed, the day she'd bought it. She knew the lacy ensemble would make Hinata blush. It'd been worth the month of mission pay it'd taken to buy it. She imagined Sakura's reaction to it, knowing its transparent lace would likely shock her. Another reason, she grinned, to hope she got back in time to attend.

Her spirits high, Ino continued her routines, making breakfast and last minute spot cleaning, as she waited for the girls to show up…

* * *

><p>Tenten leaned forward on her bed, manicuring her toe nails. Lying open next to her, was Icha Icha Seduction, the last book in the series. She'd learned what parts to skip while reading the others, speeding her progress until finally reaching this one, with its promising title.<p>

Jiraiya had indisputably earned the name 'Super Pervert'! She was looking forward to rereading them, without her present time constraints. She'd quickly realised the stories were basically similar, the only differences in the situations and characters. Even so, they were addictive, the style appealing and sensual, filled with interesting facts. Her fantasy life had experienced several upgrades since she'd cracked the first book!

Finishing her toes, she examined the result with satisfaction. Her eyes moved up to a dress displayed in its open storage bag on a nearby chair. It was a striking, plum colour; it's v-necked supported by thin straps criss-crossing all the way down the back. When she wore it, it clung to her breasts, displaying an eye-catching, knotted design before flaring from the waist down to rest just above her knees.

In short, it was stunning. And she was stunning in it. She could already picture its effect on Ebisu. Amused, she made a mental note to take plenty of tissue, to help with spraying nosebleeds.

Packing the manicure set with all its different coloured polishes, she contemplated how her meeting with Ebisu, then Ino, had made her previous day. Ino was clearly taking their plan seriously! She'd shown off her purchases, including a racy lingerie ensemble Tenten was staggered to learn the price of! The major share of her pay was usually spent on weapons.

Ino's excited determination had been inspiring as they gossiped about their progress. She hadn't divulged much, giving Tenten the distinct impression she was treating it more as a competition. But then Ino's rivalry with Sakura was no secret. It seemed to her, Sakura was less influenced by it. But then, she was thriving in the medical profession under the significant honour of the Hokage's guidance. It wouldn't surprise her if the blonde was treating this as a way to even the field with her rival.

Well, whatever they were up to, it wasn't Tenten's concern. For her, this was a fun way to satisfy her curiosity. She couldn't recall the last time she'd been so excited, even though she'd been initially reluctant when faced with picking Ebisu. The idea didn't seem so bad now. The man, nosebleeds and all, was cute, his reactions giving her an intriguing sense of power over him.

Noting the time, she hurried around, gathering what she wanted to take to Ino's. The dress was a definitely going; she couldn't wait to show the others. She figured if she wanted to discuss the book's sexual tactics, she could just use Ino's copy. Eagerly, Tenten headed out, looking forward to seeing her friends…

* * *

><p>"Hey, guys, glad to see you back," Kotetsu called as Team Seven came into hearing range. Izumo waved from behind him as he grabbed the roster from the guard shack.<p>

"So, how'd the mission go," Kotetsu asked curiously, as the team entered the gate, "did you catch up to the rogues?

"They gave us a good chase around the country side, but we tracked them down yesterday morning," Kakashi's eye crinkled.

"They weren't as tough as we'd been told," Naruto grinned, writing his name on the clipboard Izumo held out to each in turn.

"Good to know," Izumo grinned back. "So, I guess you'll be heading to brief the Hokage."

"Yeah, first to Baa-chan, then it's ramen-time!" Naruto crowed, punching the air. "Hey, Kakashi Sensei, are you coming with us to Ichiraku's, after?"

"Sorry, Naruto, but I think I'll check on Yamato, instead," Kakashi said.

"I'll have to take a rain check too. I think I'll see what Ino's been up to," Sakura told him thoughtfully, "So I guess it's just you and Sasuke."

"Yea," Sasuke deadpanned, earning a playful shoulder punch from the blonde.

"Yeah, yeah, you know you want some too," Naruto's faith in the universal appeal of ramen was unshakeable.

"Oh, Sakura…if you're going to see Ino, you'd better do it soon," Izumo informed her, "She's scheduled to leave around noon with Iruka on an overnight campout."

"Um…thanks Izumo," turning slightly, she shot a worried glance Kakashi's way. His eye drooped back, indicating he'd heard. He nodded slightly, reassuring her, before calling to the others.

"Come on. The sooner we get to the Hokage's office, the sooner we're done for the day," he led them into the village…

* * *

><p>Iruka smiled, noting every student present had a face filled with obvious excitement. It was obvious they were all looking forward to this outing.<p>

"Okay," he called them to order, "now that everyone's here, we can start. Does everyone know what they're doing? Raise your hand if you don't," he scanned the room, seeing no hands in the air.

"Great! Now, just in case you've forgotten, let me remind you. Nothing actually harmful is allowed to be done on either side of this mission and absolute secrecy must be maintained. Anyone who breaks the rules will receive detention, and extra homework, for the next month," he scanned the faces, looking for telltale signs of trouble before continuing.

"Everyone pull out your equipment, so I can see what you're taking with you." The class started moving, emptying their backpacks. Iruka headed towards the first row, checklist in hand, ready to begin…

* * *

><p>Hinata rang the doorbell, waiting for Ino to answer. She'd debated not coming, feeling depressed. She was the only one yet to start on her chosen target, due to Naruto's continued absence. Her fear of losing this opportunity had been aggravated by dreams of the jinchuuriki, from which she'd been unwilling to wake. She'd overslept, forcing her to hurry through her morning routines and chores. She'd been so rushed; she'd even forgotten her usual light makeup. Unfortunately, Ino noticed this as soon as she opened the door.<p>

"Hinata! You're naked! Where's your makeup?" Ino's scandalized tone made Hinata flush, now acutely conscious of her cosmetically deprived face.

"Um…I-I kind of woke up late," Hinata stammered, "I was in such a hurry…"

"Never mind," Ino sighed, "Come in, I'll help you take care of it." Hinata followed her inside; noticing Tenten had yet to arrive as the door shut behind her. Five minutes later, her face now deemed acceptable, she sat on the couch gratefully accepting the steaming coffee mug Ino handed her.

"So…no luck with Naruto?" she sympathized, pitying Hinata's sad eyes. "Don't be discouraged. They should be back today. I'm sure you still have plenty of time."

"Thanks, Ino." Hinata quietly smiled, grateful for the assurance as the doorbell rang. Ino rose to answer it, greeting an excited Tenten.

"Guess who I just saw?" She grinned pointedly at the puzzled Hinata, placing her dress bag down on the couch beside her as she waited for her to guess.

"Y-You don't mean N-Naruto, do you?" She knew her wish was granted when Tenten, smiling cheerfully, nodded.

"See, Hinata? I told you they'd be back," Ino attention shifted to Tenten, "Did you see Sakura?"

"Yeah, she was with Kakashi Sensei and the boys," Tenten replied, "She said she'd meet us here, as soon as she can." Hinata blinked as a quick guarded look crossed Ino's face.

"Did you notice any change in the way they acted with one another?" Ino was suspiciously casual. Tenten shook her head no.

"I was in a hurry to tell Hinata about Naruto," she said, "We only spoke briefly, since they were in a hurry too."

"Maybe they needed to report to Lady Tsunade?" Hinata pointed out.

"Probably," Tenten agreed…

* * *

><p>The girls of Iruka's class gathered in a circle, scheming quietly as they waiting for their equipment check.<p>

"What if we cut her off her ponytail? That'd teach her a lesson," Mika grinned in delight.

"That might be covered under 'no harm'," Nanau pointed out, "And Iruka Sensei said she couldn't suspect anything. I'm not sure we could make it look like an accident." The others murmured in agreement, causing Mika's face to drop in disappointment.

"You could always get Ginmaru to ruin her clothes," Amaya soothed her, "I'm sure she's going to bring some sort of special outfit." She looked down at the small grey puppy, "How about it, Ginmaru? You could pee on it or do a number two, even just chew it up!"

"I already thought of that!" Mika grumbled, as her puppy barked agreement. "And I'm sure my brother and Shinobu have too and are thrilled. You know boys…they live for gross stuff!" She glared to where the two laughing Inuzuka boys stood obviously planning with cronies.

"Besides, I don't think even three Inuzuka puppies can keep that up for the whole trip. She'd be suspicious…or want to call a vet. And biting is definitely out, due to 'no harm'," Shina wearily massaged her forehead, "So tiresome."

"Oh, stop complaining, Mika. At least you don't have my complications," Hanae ignored her classmate's glare. "She's the daughter of my clan leader, the clan heir! What if she pulls rank on me? And, she's in charge, second to Iruka Sensei, on this trip. Who do I obey if they give conflicting orders?" She moaned, dropping her head in her hands, "I've got to talk to Iruka Sensei! This is confusing!"

"If Iruka Sensei is the 'Hokage' for this…I think that outranks a clan heir," Yakima commented thoughtfully.

"This could be an advantage," Shina stated, "If she thinks you're on her side, you could get good intel on her. You could be our undercover spy…" noting Hanae's panicky look, she assured, "…but we'll have to check with Iruka Sensei on it first."

"Haya," Yakima asked quietly; "I know you're going to track Ino with your bugs, but maybe…you could put a few in her bed…or her food?"

Haya sighed. Happy as she was to see the shy girl joining in, she wished her classmates weren't so ignorant at times! Aburame insects were as important as Inuzuka dogs, only smaller, more numerous and far more closely involved with their handlers. It was common practice for clan members to name favourites, even every insect in their hives! She certainly had! Non clan members never understood that, seeing them only as 'bugs'.

But they were very useful bugs, she proudly thought. While she'd never jeopardize them in Ino's bed or food, she knew they could force other insects into them instead. There were many very sneaky ways her insect knowledge could be used against Ino…

* * *

><p>After notifying her of their successful mission, Team Seven was quickly dismissed by their satisfied Hokage. They said their good byes on the steps outside, where the boys, Naruto leading the way, hastily disappeared in the direction of Ichiraku's. Amused, Sakura and Kakashi watched, before turning to each other.<p>

"I'll be heading to the hospital," Kakashi informed her. "I take it Tenten's involved in the original challenge?" His eye crinkled at her, "It was obvious from her brief conversation earlier."

Sakura just sighed, letting her silence confirm it. Meeting Tenten on the way to Hokage Tower had been a lucky occurrence, otherwise she'd never have known about the get-together at Ino's. She should've known, brief as their talk was, her friend's discretion around Kakashi would tip him off. At least she knew where to find Hinata. For that was a conversation, she'd be glad for the other girl's company.

"I'd better get to Ino's and see what's been happening while we've been away," her worried eyes regarded him, "I still don't like her going on a trip with Iruka Sensei. Not after what she tried to pull on him before."

"Iruka is far from helpless," Kakashi smiled confidently at her, despite his own misgivings.

"I know that! You just need to see him lose his temper to figure that out," she retorted. "It's just…it's…Iruka Sensei…" she added helplessly.

Kakashi was touched by her affection for her old Academy teacher. It was to Iruka's credit, he knew, that so many people regarded him with such loving respect. In their profession, it was a thing rarer than any Kekkai Genkai.

"I had Yamato keep an eye on things while I was gone. I'll probably learn more about the situation during my visit," he reassured her. "You go to Ino's and see what you can learn there. We can meet later to share our information. We can use the opportunity to plan and set practice time for our performance too."

"So, say…we meet at my place in two hours? That would give me time to shower and eat, after," Sakura calculated.

"That sounds fine. I'll see you then," Kakashi agreed, eye crinkling. His hands flashing in a transportation jutsu, he vanished, leaving Sakura alone on the Hokage Tower steps.

"I guess that's my cue to get going too," she mused, comfortably settling her pack before hurrying away toward Ino's…

* * *

><p>"Isn't a whoopee cushion a bit…old fashioned and unexciting, Yodai?" Doubtfully, Iruka looked at the boy, "I mean, compared to your other options? Maybe its best if you leave it behind."<p>

"But Iruka Sensei, I spent all night drawing seals on it! It's all ready to go!" Yodai's eyes pleaded with him.

"Seals…" Iruka gazed at the novelty item, "What seals? There's nothing on it."

"Well, of course you can't see them. That'd make it too easy to figure out," the boy told him, "That's why I drew them on with disappearing ink!"

"Disappearing ink…that must've been hard," Iruka's look was assessing, "And what kind of seals are they?"

Yodai's eyes danced as he grinned at him…

* * *

><p>The sound of tapping on his window drew Yamato's attention. Investigating, he smiled to see Kakashi waving at him. Opening it, he nodded a welcome at his sempai's cheerful "Yo."<p>

"I didn't think you'll be back so soon," Yamato watched as he gracefully entered, shutting the pane behind him.

"Fortunately, the mission took less time than we expected," Kakashi replied, "So; I thought I'd find out how Iruka's situation is going. I hear through the grapevine he's going on a trip with Ino? Knowing him, I thought he'd be less…forgiving about her little trick," he looked askance at Yamato's sly laugh.

"The trip is with the thirty kids from his Academy class," Yamato told him, "And no, he hasn't forgiven her that easily, Sempai. In fact, he's got quite a few…interesting plans for her. I think you'll be suitably impressed by his ingenuity. I certainly am."

"Really…he impressed you that much?" Kakashi was intrigued, "Tell me more, Tenzou..."

* * *

><p>AN: Well, did you like it? Please review and share your thoughts! I'll be looking forward to reading them! ^_^


	11. Unexpected Challenges

A/N: A big thank you to Rynn, RynnWolfLion, Princess thieves of heart, Stalker Witch, Keiko the cashew, Dazynl8, Kashi, Gigi, Pillowwolfpup, Anbu-chan, MissVoiceless, The Doctor, Sundance1989, Fangrlindenial, Joys, Epie, Travellerslover, Warrioroftheravens, Inume-blue, Rashaka, Kashi-Cookie-Monster and MiMe for reviewing! So many reviews… Wow!

I'm so glad you're enjoying the story, so far. I never thought it'd be such a big hit! Most of the credit should go to the lovely Tazicat12 though, since she's doing majority of the work and coming out with the amazing ideas. If she hadn't reviewed the first chapter for this story and I hadn't sent her a PM, this story would've, without a doubt, turned out differently… All I can say is this – we were destined to be the authors of this story – as corny as that may sound.

Hope you like this chapter as well… It has to be my most favourite, so far! :D

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><p><strong>Seven Days of Seduction – Chapter 11 – Unexpected Challenges<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

"Alright, Kenchiro, Kensutoshi, you're fine," Iruka told the Hyuuga twins, "Repack your gear."

"Iruka-Sensei, can I talk to you for a second?" Iruka turned to find Shina Nara, beckoning from a small distance away from her classmates.

"Yes, Shina…what is it? I'll be getting to you girls soon," he moved to join her.

"That's not it Iruka-Sensei," she told him quietly, "Hanae's freaking out."

"About what?" he glanced over to see Hanae watching him with pleading eyes.

"It's sort of a command versus clan thing. You're the class teacher and trip leader, but, in the Yamanaka clan, Ino outranks her and she's also, technically, the trip's second-in-command. Ino could make her help her. If that happens, she's not sure what she's supposed to do, who she's supposed to obey. It's really worrying her," Shina explained.

Iruka silently cursed himself. He should've foreseen the problem. Quickly, he turned to the class.

"Okay, everyone, we're taking a small break," he called. Sweeping a measuring look over the group, he added, "Hanae, will you come help me with something?"

"Thank you for pointing out the problem, Shina," he quietly thanked her, "I'll take care of it immediately."

"Your welcome, Iruka-Sensei," she turned back to the other girls, passing Hanae who was anxiously moving to join Iruka…

* * *

><p>"Alright…finally, we can eat," rubbing his hands in anticipation, Naruto eagerly sat down.<p>

"Yeah, yeah," Sasuke sat beside him, "The only time you're not talking about ramen is when you're eating it."

"Hello, Naruto, Sasuke," Ayame warmly greeted them, "What'll you have today?"

"Hi, Ayame…I'll have an extra large pork ramen," he grinned at her, "I dreamt about eating it all last night!"

"Yes, he did," Sasuke confirmed dryly, "It's a habit we're continually trying to break him of. There's nothing as pitiful as a drooling Dobe, sleep talking about ramen, while trying to eat his own pillow." He leaned to the side to avoid the light punch the blonde threw at his shoulder.

"I'll have pork too, a regular, please," he told the amused Ayame…

* * *

><p>"…so, the scene on page 84 in Icha Icha Tactics is doable? I mean, it seems so improbable," eagerly, Tenten flipped through the book before lifting questioning brows in Ino's direction.<p>

"Yes," a resigned Ino assured her, "And so are the scenes on pages 119, 164 and 283. You have to be flexible, but that's not a hardship for most shinobi. It's probably the reason most of the series' characters are shinobi. Jiraiya wrote what he knew – both as a sannin and a pervert. It makes you wonder about all those travels of his," she glanced over at Hinata, "You know, Naruto was with him for two years. If anyone knows what Jiraiya got up to, it's him."

The shy Hyuuga blushed, blinking, captured by the sudden notion of Naruto helping his mentor 'research' those naughty, sexy scenes she'd been reading and fantasizing about. Studies he'd likely done with other girls.

She found herself strongly reacting to it – in very differing ways. On one hand, infuriated, she wanted to rip those other girls apart as only a Hyuuga could. On the other, titillated, she was strongly reminded of her fantasies – and Naruto's part in them.

Her body reacted, her breath quickening, a strangely pleasant ache in her lower belly, as she pictured him teaching those things, doing those things, with her. Staring blindly forward, absorbed by this, her body increasingly consumed with need, she was only dimly aware of the other two girls' discussion. Unconsciously reaching up to her nose to wipe a wet trickle, she was rudely wrenched out of her contemplations.

"Hinata! Your nose is bleeding!" grabbing a tissue box, Ino hurried to her. Reaching in, her hand fumbled when it found, not tissue, but small, folded pieces of paper.

"Damn! Tenten, will you get the box in the kitchen? I must've thrown the wrong one away while I was cleaning up this morning." She gently gripped Hinata's nose with one hand as her other supported the girl's head, tipping it slightly back, to slow the blood flow as they waited.

"Here," holding out the new box, Tenten glanced impishly down at Hinata. "And just what were you thinking about?" she grinned, eyes sparkling. Mortified, the shy girl almost glowed red.

"Ne…never mind," she retorted, holding tissue to her nose, "its…n-none of your business." Amused, Ino and Tenten glanced at each other.

"You mean you're not thinking about Naruto?" Tenten teased. "Now that he's back and you can start getting closer to him? Much closer to him?" she sang, batting her eyes at the blushing girl.

"S-stop that!" eyes widening helplessly, Hinata turned away, tissue still at her nose, trying to hide her flaming face in a pillow.

"Yep, definitely Naruto," Ino joined in. "So, Hinata…just what was he up to, that made your nose bleed? Something sexy and totally x-rated, we hope? Come on," she wheedled, grinning wickedly, "tell us!"

"N-no!" the girl moaned, conveying more tissue to her hidden face, "J-just leave it alone…please?"

"We'd tell you our fantasies…" Ino began, but Tenten, taking pity, interrupted.

"Okay, Hinata, we'll let it go," she told her kindly and the girl gratefully looked up at her.

"Alright," the blonde pouted, "She gets away with it for now, but we get the lowdown on everything she and Naruto do together, later."

"I hope Sakura gets here soon," Tenten, glancing out the window, changed the subject, "I can't wait to show off the dress I've got for my first date with Ebisu. It's perfect!" She picked up the book again, idly flipping through it as she made plans to read as much of Icha Icha Seduction she could before her date.

"I can't wait to show off the lingerie I'm taking on the campout," Ino glanced slyly over at Hinata, "It's…a bit demure for my tastes…" she ignored Tenten's snort of laughter, "but I guess it'll do the job."

"I…I can't wait to find Naruto," Hinata's bearing was quietly determined. Ino and Tenten blinked, surprised.

"That's good," the weapons mistress encouraged her, "It's a good sign you feel that way…"

* * *

><p>Checklists in hand, Iruka and Hanae stood out of earshot of the rest, going over the trip's food supplies. Iruka didn't want their conversation to be overheard and misunderstood, thus the precaution. This way they had some privacy.<p>

The question of when your clan or your village was owed more of your loyalty was complex, Iruka knew. It was a mine field, where complications and differing circumstances made the answer constantly change. It'd troubled far more mature shinobi than a mere pre-genin. The cost of trying to answer it could range from mild frustration to actual injury, both to the one asking and others. Itachi Uchiha had been an extreme example.

Iruka knew Hanae needed to decide for herself, but was determined to help her navigate that mine field with as little damage as possible. This instinctive care for others, especially his students, was what made Iruka the outstanding teacher – and person, he was so beloved for being. And he was totally unconscious of it, for to him it was as natural as breathing.

"So, Hanae, I hear you have some concerns?" Iruka's soft voice asked the question gently.

"Yes, Iruka-Sensei," she gazed up at him with troubled eyes, "Last night, I realised I had a problem. You're my teacher, but Ino's a Yamanaka too and she ranks me. I know a shinobi has to be loyal to the village and your fellow shinobi, but we also have to be loyal to our clans. So, what do I do if those conflict? Who do I owe the most loyalty to? You and the class, or my clan ties with Ino?"

"Before you realised this, what were your intentions for the trip? Were you going to help prank Ino along with the rest?" he checked some items off on his checklist.

"Well, yeah, I was really looking forward to it," she sighed regretfully, glancing wistfully around at the supplies. "But now, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do."

"You know, you're not the first, or the last, to struggle with this question," his eyes met hers before flicking upward, indicating the imposing carvings in the cliff above them.

"It's been around since Hashirama first proposed his plans for peace between the clans. Of course, you owe loyalty to your clan, they're your family. It's a system that's been in place for centuries, much longer than the eighty plus years Konoha's been around. But, I'd like to think each clan, when they decided to follow Hashirama devoted themselves to a greater loyalty, to everyone in the village, as a whole," he smiled at her.

"Konoha exists because its shinobi clans chose to follow Hashirama's ideals, to put aside all their previous conflicts and live together. To endeavour to always put the good of all over the good of the few. And did it so successfully, many civilians felt secure enough to settle here among them.

"I hate to think what would've happened if they hadn't. All our lives would be very different," he glanced at his class, seeing happy faces, hearing bright voices laughing. "For one thing, most of those kids over there would be your enemies, instead of your friends and classmates.

"When Tobirama became Hokage, he instituted many changes, like this Academy, which helped the process started by his brother. It brought children together, not only from the clans, but from the civilian quarter, to train, learn and get to know each other. Over the generations, the bonds created here have gone on, thriving and growing stronger, between individuals and clans, both shinobi and civilian.

"Out of all the hidden villages, these bonds are what give Konoha it's Will of Fire. Though it's epitomized in its Hokages, it's also shared by many of its people. It's our willingness to protect not only those of blood, of our own clans, but those who share the same goals, dreams and beliefs, that make us unique. Our willingness to protect our comrades and be protected by them," he glanced at her, noting her intent interest. "It's a legacy of trust passed down from generation to generation and not something to take lightly."

"So you think I should put the class over Ino?" Hanae looked faintly troubled.

"I think you should decide which, in this instance, is more important to you," he replied. "This isn't a case where the welfare of the village depends on your choice. I'll understand if you want to opt out. In fact, I'm glad you came to me with this, instead of going through with it if you're conflicted. I'd never betray your trust by putting you through that."

"Iruka-Sensei," she looked blindly at her checklist before looking back up at him, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Hanae," he smiled encouragingly at her.

She hesitated, then blurted, "Why did you come up with the class mission against Ino? Did she do something…to you, maybe? Was it something really bad?" Her eyes begged for an answer and, after a quick internal debate, he sighed.

"Yes, Ino did do something to me, but I won't tell you what," Iruka was not going to explain chemically aided attempted rape to one of his students.

"I wouldn't say what she tried to do was bad. I can even understand some of her reasons for doing it. If she'd gone about it in a different way, I'd probably be flattered. What I can't and won't condone is her method because it was…thoughtless and potentially very cruel. It's was a technique you'd use against a deadly enemy, not against a shinobi comrade who trusts you. If the knowledge of it got around there could be very serious consequences for her. Her reputation as a trustworthy shinobi could be damaged and others might refuse to work with her. She could even be arrested, if I chose to press charges. Therefore, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell this to anyone else, not just the rest of the class."

"So…you're using the class…to get some sort of…payback? As punishment?" she asked uncertainly.

"Yes and no," he regarded her frankly, "Yes, she's being punished, but not as payback. The class is helping me teach her a lesson, so she won't carelessly betray another person's trust in a similar fashion," he rubbed his scar thoughtfully, "Hopefully; it'll also stop her from permanently harming her reputation or getting into serious trouble in the future."

"So…by punishing her," Hanae worked it out, "You're really trying to help her, to make her a better person and shinobi. It's really for her benefit." She was aware of a curious mix of feelings. She was gratified Iruka-Sensei would confide in her, as well as shocked and angry at Ino for hurting him. She was surprised and impressed he'd still think of her cousin's welfare despite whatever she'd done. Relieved, her fears fell away, as she found her decision was easier than she'd thought.

"Yes. As her former teacher, I consider it my duty to make sure she learns the lesson well." He grinned at her, eyes dancing, "I think being the target of thirty pranksters will drive it home very quickly and thoroughly, don't you?"

Hanae found herself grinning back at him…

* * *

><p>Sai watched Sakura jog up the steps of Ino's apartment building from the alley across the street. Obviously, he mused, she was going to join the other three girls. He was surprised Team Seven was home early enough for her to do so. He leaned back against the wall, contemplating his present assignment.<p>

When Yamato talked him into helping him, he hadn't anticipated he'd find it so… educational. He'd heard vague rumours of the 'Kunoichi game' from time to time, but hadn't bothered to pay much attention. If the two encounters between Tenten and Ebisu yesterday were any to judge by, he'd been missing a remarkably entertaining pastime. He wanted to find out what would happen next.

He glanced up toward the rooftops above him, wondering if he could find a vantage point to see in through one of the apartment's windows. He had a feeling the events inside might get very interesting and wanted a ring side seat…

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><p>"It's about time you got here, Forehead," Ino greeted her as she closed the door. "We were beginning to think we'd need to send out a search party."<p>

"Unlike you, Pig, I have responsibilities to fulfill," Sakura countered as she removed her backpack, "Like helping give the Hokage the mission results.

"I can't stay too long," she continued, stretching, "I want to get home, take a bath, eat and just relax!"

"Well, Forehead," Ino slyly began, "I agree a bath would be a good idea…"

"Oh, knock it off you two," Tenten interrupted from the living room. "Sakura, you've got to see my new dress! It's incredible! I'm wearing it tonight for my first date with Ebisu." She pulled it from the garment bag to the oohs and aahs of the other girls.

"You've got a date with him already?" Sakura blinked at her.

"Yeah, you wouldn't believe how easy it was. All it took was a couple of skimpy outfits a bit of skin and a little playacting. He couldn't take his eyes off me, even during his nosebleeds. And he had a lot of those!" the weapons mistress grinned, her eyes dancing at the memory.

"That's quite the turnaround," Sakura was bemused, "A few days ago; you were disappointed you drew his name. Now you're so enthusiastic!"

"Well, I discovered how cute he can be," Tenten informed her, "I know he seems so straight laced, but underneath, I think the guy's a closet pervert. It's the only explanation for his reactions." She tilted her head, absently gazing at her dress. "I wonder if he has a secret stash of Icha Icha. That might make things really interesting." Recalling a few of the stories, she unconsciously blushed as she pictured acting them out with Ebisu.

For several minutes the four girls happily gossiped together, drinking coffee as they discussed a range of subjects. They started with the dress and Tenten's date plans, before expanding to catch up on each other's activities. They were laughing over Ebisu and Tenten's 'training practice', when Ino caught their attention.

"If you think her dress is something," Ino's crafty eyes met each of the other girls', "Wait till you see my special outfit for Iruka-Sensei."

'I've already seen it," Tenten's voice was droll; "It's a real…eye opener."

Hinata and Sakura glanced at each other, as Ino removed a carefully wrapped parcel from her own pack. Curious, they shifted closer, as she began to unwrap it.

"Oh, my god, Ino," Sakura yelped, her eyes flying open as the last wrapping fell away, "What are you thinking? Aren't you going on a campout with a bunch of kids? What'll happen if one of them sees you in that?"

"He'll instantly become a man before his time," the reply was a satisfied purr.

"Yeah, right," Sakura snorted as she shared a scandalized look with Hinata. The quiet girl hesitantly reached out, running her hand under the lacy ensemble, testing if it was as sheer as it seemed. She gasped slightly when she discovered it was.

"I don't think Iruka-Sensei will let you run around in that during a class trip," her words judicial, Sakura shook her head, her eyes still fixed helplessly on the lingerie. "You know how strict he can be. Look how he acts about Kakashi-Sensei's porn books."

"Once he sees me in this," Ino smirked, "He won't notice anything else. Oh, and since you mention Kakashi," the stare she fixed her rival in was both challenged and questioned, "How are you doing with him? Any progress yet? Or are you still just…" her brow quirked slightly, "Hmm…how to put it…frozen in place?"

"Are you implying something, Pig?" annoyed, Sakura met her stare.

"Am I, Forehead?" Ino blandly stared back. They continued to lock eyes, the seconds passing as their stares turned to glares. Sensing a coming explosion, the other two girls' eyes darted back and forth between them.

"Okay, okay, you two, time out already!" finally intervening, Tenten chastised them loudly, as Hinata softly agreed, "What are you…a couple of little kids?"

"Sorry, Tenten, Hinata," Sakura instantly broke eye contact to apologise. She ignored Ino's dismissive sniff.

"As it happens," she continued, "Things are going…well, with Kakashi." Her face heated as her thoughts turned to their practice session and her dreams, "Really good, in fact. I can honestly say I've done things I never thought I would with him," her mouth quirked unwillingly, as she remembered Chez Kakashi and her surprise…review.

"Oh, really…like what?" Ino hid her unease behind a sceptical tone. Sakura sounded…surprised, like she was telling a truth that astonished her. It was a clear indication she actually had made progress with Kakashi. That alone amazed Ino. The concept she might lose, in a skill area she was clearly superior in, brought her own doubts bubbling to the surface. Hastily, she dismissed them, telling herself she'd soon have Iruka-Sensei at her mercy and would quickly go on to win the challenge.

"Um…" Sakura didn't want to explain. Living through it had been awkward enough. Fortunately, she was saved from a surprising quarter.

"Will we…be done…soon?" Hinata was getting impatient. She furtively glanced at Ino's lingerie, the picture of her wearing it for Naruto dancing in her head.

"You really want to get started on Naruto, don't you," Tenten grinned at her. "I've never seen you like this before. I think I like it. Go grab him, girl!" playfully emphasizing, she made grasping motions with her hands.

Sakura sighed, knowing she couldn't put it off any longer. Resolutely, she turned to her friend.

"Hinata, before you see Naruto, there's something I have to tell you," she solemnly told her, "I…found out a few things on this last mission. I don't know if they'll matter to you or not, but I think you should know."

"W-what do you mean, Sakura?" Hinata's puzzled eyes met hers. Ino and Tenten, obviously wondering as well, shared a look before turning back to watch.

"Well, for one thing, I found out why Sasuke's never been interested in girls. I can tell you he's officially gay," she started.

"I…I s-sort of wondered…at t-times about that," uncertain, Hinata glanced at Ino and Tenten. Neither looked particularly surprised. The thought apparently hadn't been hers alone. Why Sakura thought it might influence her feelings for Naruto confused her. Turning back, she missed the other girl's sudden speculative looks.

"I also found out…well…Naruto is…bi. He's attracted to guys as well as girls," Sakura watched Hinata closely.

The Hyuuga blinked, absorbing the surprising news. Her brows drew down as she examined it.

It wasn't as if she hadn't come across such things before. A few of her Hyuuga cousins were bi or gay. Beyond an initial hesitation, owed to her clan upbringing, she'd never personally had problems with them. She'd found that one single fact didn't matter compared to the person as a whole. Any problems she did have were usually due to personality conflicts.

Unfortunately, in a clan like the Hyuuga, passing on their Kekkei Genkai was a dominating factor in their way of life. Heredity, and thus the Byakugan, was closely guarded. This affected the way sexual orientation was viewed and reactions to it varied, with a noticeable difference between generations. The eldest clan members could be incredibly harsh. But, as narrow-minded as the present day Hyuuga were thought, she'd found clan histories clearly proving it'd been manifestly worse. Clan members unable to function with the opposite sex had suffered appalling treatment, despite their other important clan contributions. Thankfully, present day medical advances in reproduction had greatly lessened the stigma a fact she was grateful for.

But, Sakura'd said Naruto was bi, not gay. What she'd previously known hadn't changed, only been added to. That addition, she reflected, was she now knew he was attracted to other men as well. So, the obvious conclusion was her potential rival pool was now greater, not only to other women, but attractive men as well.

She shifted uneasily at the thought, suddenly wondering if Naruto found Neji attractive. Not that Neji was gay, but still…! She firmly brought her thoughts back to the business at hand.

Taking a deep breath, she held it, closing her eyes as she thought about Naruto. Did it matter to her; she asked herself, that he was bi? Did it change her feelings for him in any way? Did she still want to be with him? Almost immediately, she exhaled, smiling to find the answers in her heart were no, no and yes. It didn't matter or change her feelings in any way. She still desperately wanted to be part of his life. Returning her gaze to Sakura's, her lips parted to tell her this, only to be forestalled.

"One more thing," Sakura drew a deep breath of her own, "I found out Sasuke and Naruto are attracted to each other." She flinched as Hinata froze, paling, wide shocked eyes staring.

"I'm sure it hasn't gone very far," she hastily assured her, quickly moving to her side, "In fact, I'm certain Sasuke's just discovered he's gay and is still getting used to it. I also think, on Naruto's part, some of it's probably just his way to help Sasuke deal with it. You know how he is when it comes to supporting his friends." She caught one of her hands, patting it.

"Uh, yeah, Hinata," Tenten hurriedly joined them; "Naruto's probably just being a nice guy. And you know Sasuke. He's so emo and egotistical, I doubt a relationship with him will last. Not with anybody, not just Naruto." She put a supporting arm around her friend.

"You've got to admit, though…," Ino mused, her eyes bright, "…the thought of those two rolling all over each other is…kind of…hot! I mean blonde, bouncy Naruto and dark, angsty Sasuke…they're both total opposites and totally gorgeous! As far as yaoi goes, what more could you want?" She cast a speculative look at the others, "I wonder who'd be the uke and who'd be the seme? Or maybe they'd just take turns?"

"Ino…!" Sakura fumed.

"What?" Ino arched an eyebrow, "It's not like it's anything for her to worry over. Any Kunoichi worth the name could snatch Naruto away from Sasuke with no trouble. Mind you, if you were after Sasuke, it'd be a different story…unless you henged into a guy. Hmm…" she explored the idea, contemplating what it would take to hold a full sensory henge through that sort of…stimulation.

"Ino, you're really not helping," Tenten sighed...

* * *

><p>Hidden on a roof directly across from Ino's apartment, Sai wondered if he's read the girls' lips correctly.<p>

Granted, he'd always had suspicions about Sasuke. To have him confirmed as homosexual wasn't unforeseen. And, from the reactions of the girls, he hadn't been the only one who'd wondered.

Naruto being bi, though, was a surprise. In retrospect, there'd been several signs he'd seen but obviously never put together properly. It made him wonder if the blonde's persistence in pursuing Sasuke for all those years had a more personal aspect to it. Especially now, if they were interested in pursuing a relationship with each other.

It was a pity, he thought, that he'd never known these facts before now. They would've changed several past decisions he'd made. He sighed. All those lost opportunities!

* * *

><p>Back in the apartment, to her friends' relief, Hinata seemed to be recovering. Ino, at Tenten's urging, had interrupted her yaoi daydreaming to prepare tea. Knowing food often helped, she served it with a few light sandwiches, cookies and small cakes.<p>

"There now," she watched Hinata tentatively eat a sandwich, as she passed tea cups to the other two, "Are you feeling better, Hinata?"

"Y-yes, thank you," the shy girl still seemed unusually quiet – even for her.

"Cheer up, Hinata," Tenten smiled optimistically, "It'll be alright. It's not like Naruto's gay and you have no chance at all."

"Of course not," Sakura added kindly, "You just have some…unexpected competition, that's all."

"In fact," the weapons mistress sensibly observed, "judging from his track record, you've got a better chance with him than Sasuke does. I mean, Naruto chased Sakura for years, and he's peeped at the girls at the hot springs, just like Jiraiya. But this is the first I've heard of him and another guy. So, of the two, he's obviously more interested in girls."

"D-do you really think so?" Hinata looked gratefully at her.

"Please," Ino snorted, "I can't believe you think Sasuke's competition. We're Kunoichi, he isn't. Sharingan aside, he's just not that special."

"He…he's very p-powerful…" the Hyuuga girl began.

"So are a lot of other shinobi," Ino scoffed, "But force and subtlety are two very different things. That's why a lot of those 'powerful' shinobi are often sitting ducks. A little skin, a few batting eyelashes and they're putty. That's a power in itself; just a different kind and we have it. Besides, Sasuke's never even flirted let alone seduced anyone. He doesn't have a clue how to do it. We…" she grinned fiercely at her, "…on the other hand, are trained for this. So who do you think has the upper hand?"

"I…I suppose we do," Hinata sipped her tea as she examined the idea. She had to concede Ino's point.

"Then obviously, you don't need to worry," Ino told her, "So, what are you waiting for? You've got to get moving before time runs out on you. So, go start already. Go get Naruto!"

"Really, Ino," putting down her empty cup, Sakura sighed, "I don't know about you at times. Hinata, it's up to you what you want to do. Don't let Ino push you into anything. Do it when you're ready." She rose to her feet, brushing off her medic skirt, as she regarded the Hyuuga, "I'm sure you'll do fine when you are. I have confidence in you." She looked at Tenten and Ino, "I better get going. I've been walking around in mission filth long enough. I want to get home for a long, relaxing soak."

"I-I should be going too. I-I'd still l-like to find Naruto," Hinata set down her half full cup, following her to the door. "He'll…probably b-be at Ichiraku's, won't he?" Sakura's long suffering sigh was clearly a 'where else?' winning a small smile from her.

"I've got to get moving myself," Ino said, "I've got to clean all this up before I leave to meet up with Iruka-Sensei's class."

"I'll help you," Tenten told her, "With two of us; it'll take half the time, so you won't be late."

"Thanks, Tenten. So, I guess the meeting is officially over," she began to stack dishes.

"Ino, I guess I'll see you when you get back?" hefting her pack, Sakura waved from the open door, "And Tenten, good luck with Ebisu. See you girls later."

"I'll have the game won before I get back, Forehead, just wait and see," Ino called back, "Hinata, go get Naruto! I know you can do it!"

"Thank you and have a good trip, Ino," Hinata lifted a hand in farewell, "I hope you do well with Ebisu, Tenten. Good bye."

"Thanks, Sakura, Hinata. Good luck with Kakashi!" Tenten waving back, "Hinata, don't worry about Naruto. I know you'll do great! I'll talk to you later, alright? Good bye."

The two remaining girls watched the door close behind their friends, then turned to the job of cleaning up...

* * *

><p>Sai debated his options.<p>

Sakura, he knew, was sure to head home. She wasn't one of his surveillance targets anyway.

Ino and Tenten would be a while cleaning. Then Ino would be heading to the village gates. There wasn't much to be learned there, though he regretted he wouldn't be able to spy on the campout. Yamato plainly believed it'd be more entertaining than Tenten's meetings with Ebisu.

There were still hours before Tenten's date. She'd be spending them getting ready, a boring prospect from his point of view. Any amusement to be had would take place later, on the date itself.

So, it seemed Hinata was his best option. He was curious to see if the shy Hyuuga would really make a move on the oblivious Naruto. And what Sasuke's reaction to it would be. It would, he mused, confirm whether or not the two were in a relationship.

He quietly slipped down off the roof, into the alley. Concealed, he watched as the two girls made their farewells on the building steps before parting to go their own ways, and then carefully moved to follow Hinata...

* * *

><p>Tenten helped Ino quickly gather the dishes and carry them to the kitchen. As Ino ran dish water, adding soap, she turned to Tenten.<p>

"So, I guess an intervention is in order," she began to put dishes into the sink.

"What…intervention? Why, for what?" Tenten was confused.

"Oh, come on. You really don't think shy little Hinata is going to go head to head with Sasuke, do you?" Ino scoffed, brandishing a dish scrubber at her before putting it to work, "Especially anywhere around Naruto? If she gets within ten feet of him she has a blush attack and… hyperventilates…or something. She's been like that for years. Which means," she handed a scrubbed dish to Tenten to wipe dry, "Someone is going to have to play wingman."

"Look, I know Hinata's had trouble around Naruto in the past," setting the newly dried dish on the counter, Tenten accepted another, "But I've seen a change in her the past few days. I actually think she's ready to make a move."

"That's all well and good," Ino paused, looking at her, "I hope she does finally get a backbone in the romance department. But I can't see her splitting her attention between him and dealing with Sasuke. She'll be so distracted by Naruto; Sasuke'll eat her for lunch. So," she handed a mug over, "We'll just have to take Sasuke out of the equation."

"And just how do you propose we do that," the weapons mistress paused to look at her. "What could we possibly do or say to Sasuke to get him to back off? And what if Naruto doesn't want him to back off? I didn't want to say in front of Hinata, but those two have that sort of 'bro' vibe between them, you know? I mean," she accepted a tea cup, "They fight like crazy, but they're always there for each other. Of course, all Team Seven's like that," she put the cup down to accept another, "But Naruto was the one who never gave up on Sasuke, when everyone else did. It makes sense, if Sasuke's gay and Naruto's bi that their 'bromance' could turn into a 'romance'. Sort of a progression thing," she contemplated, as she wiped.

"And you're right," she suddenly grinned, "It'd be really hot. And I think they'd take turns playing uke and seme. They're both just too Dom for either to take 'bottom' for long," her grin widened as she winked at Ino, "And that makes it even hotter!"

"Yes, it does," Ino's eyes danced, "A yaoi fan girl's dream show! The sort you'd love to have ringside seats to."

"It's a pity," she sighed, shaking her hands as the sink drained, "But we're going to have to spike the 'bromance' before it gets too far. If we don't, Hinata's not going to have a chance."

"The question remains," Tenten wiped her own hands with her dishcloth, "Just how do you propose we do that?"

"First, we appeal to Sasuke's sense of fair play," Ino wrung out a wet dishcloth, "After all, for years Hinata was the only one who believed in Naruto. She deserves first chance at him." Dishcloth in hand, she walked to the living room.

"And you think he's going to buy that," Tenten followed her. "I wouldn't. It'd be you snooze, you lose. She's had years to make her move, and he's supposed to back off to let her now? Sorry, I don't see it."

"Then we get tougher," Ino began to efficiently wipe down the tables, "Sakura said he's just discovered he's gay, he's still unsure about it. We can play on that to give Hinata some space."

"That…could be cruel," troubled, Tenten regarded her, picking up the books they'd been discussing earlier. "I really don't like that approach, Ino. Sasuke's had enough trouble in his life; I'd hate to make more for him. Besides, if we mess with him that way, eventually we'll have to face Sakura and Naruto over it. Like I said, Team Seven looks out for each other," she rubbed her head, sighing, "I'd really hate to actually earn the sort of retribution they can dish out."

"I'm not suggesting attacking him about it," Ino paused, looking up at her, "We'd just suggest…he study up on gay relationships first or something, before going further with Naruto. You know how emo he is. He'll angst over it, study up, angst some more, than go look for more info he can angst over. Even if he rushes, it'll take him days. More likely it'll be weeks, even months. By the time he decides what he'll do; Naruto and Hinata could be married with a kid on the way."

"Okay, that's better," Tenten was relieved, "I could see him doing that. Where do you want these books, by the way," she waved an Icha Icha at her.

"I keep them in my bedside table," Ino told her, "Second drawer down. Thanks, Tenten."

"Don't mention it," she moved to Ino's bedroom, her arms full of books.

"And…I think we're done here," Ino glanced around, checking for missed areas as she replaced the dishcloth. She returned to quickly rewrap and pack her lingerie. Tenten was also back, zipping her dress's garment bag, getting it ready for departure.

"Oh, that's right…" spotting the two tissue boxes, she quickly checked them, "I don't want to forget this," she shook the box with the leftover names in it. "I've got to get rid of it."

"What…you're only going to be gone for a day or two," Tenten glanced at her, mildly perplexed, "It won't matter if you leave it. Why worry over it?"

"Normally, I wouldn't," Ino grimaced, "But a couple of my plants are sick. They're delicate, so the treatments need to be regular. Since I can't do it, my mom's promised to." She nodded as comprehension dawned on Tenten's face.

"Yeah," she said, "I don't dare leave it. You know moms. They see all, know all, and can find out anything. I can't leave even a speck of dirt, let alone a bunch of guys' names lying around. I'd be grilled about it as soon as I get back."

"I know what that's like. Mine's the same way," Tenten's grin was sympathetic.

"So," Ino put the tissue box in the top of her pack, "I can throw this away after we deal with Sasuke, on the way to the gate." She grinned at Tenten, "That way I know nobody will find it if they decide to snoop through my garbage."

"Oh, come on," Tenten grinned back, draping her garment bag over a shoulder; "Your mom isn't that bad, is she?"

"Usually, no," Ino hoisted her pack, opening the door for her friend, "But why ask for trouble, right?"

Tenten laughed as Ino followed her out the door…

* * *

><p>Kakashi carefully mixed a measured amount of kibble in with hamburger, adding vitamins, and then stirring energetically to make sure it was well mixed. Feeling eyes, he glanced to where eight ninken watched his every move.<p>

"You know, watching isn't going to make it go faster," he told his pack.

"Yeah, yeah," Pakkun's deep voice answered, "You always say that, Boss. And we always watch anyway, so why go through the rest of the routine?"

Beginning another set of careful measurements, the Copy Nin grinned under his mask. This time he put the finished product into bowls, adding three dog biscuits to each. Stacking these in order of size, he carried them over to the ninken. He set them down, one to each dog, the smallest for Pakkun, and the biggest in front of Bull.

"Bon appétit," he told them, as each dog tore into their meal. Satisfied growls answered, as he watched, stretched, and then relaxed his lean figure against the nearby counter.

A shower first, he decided, then a nap before heading to Sakura's. Pushing himself off the counter, he headed off to do just that…

* * *

><p>Sitting at the teacher's lounge table, Iruka quickly started on the final paperwork. He listened to the faint chatter as his kids attended to their own last minute needs like bathroom breaks and snacks.<p>

When Ebisu walked in, they both nodded in greeting. Iruka smiled, recalling Yamato's recount of Sai's report. Fortunately for the Special Jounin, Tenten was playing fair. It'd been evident Sai'd been highly entertained watching them. But then, long before Naruto'd ever met him, Iruka had recognized the strait laced, proper Ebisu was a closet pervert.

"Doing the last minute paperwork, Iruka-Sensei?" Ebisu poured himself coffee.

"Yes," Iruka confirmed, "Then we're off – finally! It's taken over three hours to check their gear. I've never heard so many excuses about unnecessary items in my life."

"I don't envy you," Ebisu sipped, "I'd hate to take on thirty students outside my occasional class teaching. I have trouble keeping up with three these days."

"And how is Konohamaru these days? Has he and his team been pulling their usual tricks?" Iruka grinned, reminded of his ex-student.

"He's been distracted by other concerns," he adjusted his glasses, "Hopefully he hasn't been practicing that…Sexy no Jutsu…again."

Iruka laughed. "Well, he has to keep up to Naruto. So you've had some free time. I'm envious."

"Not that much. In fact, tonight is the first date I've had in months," he finished his coffee.

"Who's the lucky lady? Anyone I know?" Iruka moved to the next page.

"Actually…I'm going out with Tenten. She asked me out for drinks after a practice match," Ebisu rinsed out his mug in the lounge's sink. "I believe," fairly smug, he faced Iruka, "I'm the latest target in the Kunoichi game."

"Oh?" Iruka looked up, choosing his words carefully, "I wouldn't have pegged Tenten for that sort of thing. I mean, she was very sensible, even as a pre-genin. She hasn't been a nuisance, has she? Giving you trouble?"

"I assure you, I can handle myself," Ebisu smiled in anticipation, "So far I've found her methods quite…fascinating. I'm looking forward to seeing what else the young lady will come up with."

Iruka hid a grin as he turned to the last page...

* * *

><p>Hinata turned away from Ino's, her thoughts complex, her eyes vaguely scanning her surroundings.<p>

After she'd confessed her love to Naruto during the fight with Pain, there'd been so much confusion and activity. First, she'd been punished for disobeying orders, for putting herself, a Hyuuga clan heir at risk. Then, there was the difficult task of rebuilding Konoha while sustaining the survivors. The Fourth Shinobi war had followed, interfering in turn. The revelations of that war had left nations reeling, not just people. Somehow as time passed, it'd never seemed like the right time to face him about her feelings. It was possible by now Naruto'd forgotten, or relegated her to the role of friend.

Why hadn't she spoken before? She'd spent so many years dreaming about declaring her love to Naruto, only to leave the matter in limbo. She'd dishonoured her own feelings by not following it up. Now, she was facing the prospect of losing him, not to another girl, but to…Sasuke?

To say Sakura's disclosure had been a surprise was an understatement.

She'd there, the day Naruto'd mistaken Kakashi's praise for romantic interest, and his response to it hadn't been favourable. As she recalled, he'd had to be chased and held down before realising his mistake. No one present with the impression he was anything but straight. Now, in retrospect, she was puzzled. She'd have thought as a bisexual Naruto would appreciate interest from Kakashi. The mystique of his mask aside, he was considered quite attractive.

But she supposed his old sensei/team leader represented family to him, like his 'big brother', Iruka-Sensei. Obviously his feelings for them weren't the romantic kind, like hers for her father or Neji. It wasn't surprising such people would be precious to him and it gladdened her, after so many years alone, neglected, he could still form such important bonds.

His attraction to Sasuke was a different story for she'd immediately recognised the Uchiha's threat potential. She winced, remembering how the others believed she'd been devastated, treating her like a fragile doll and she supposed, in her initial confusion, she'd acted the part. The reality was much more complicated.

She glanced up, realising she was near Ichiraku's. Slipping into the shadows, she inhaled deeply, focusing her resolve and releasing her fears with her breathe. She intently scanned the ramen stall, finding her objective as well as her obstacle. Naruto attacked his ramen ravenously, while Sasuke barely touched his, obviously just keeping his friend company. She silently observed them.

They were an unusual pair, as Ino'd said, total opposites. One was blonde, loud, happily bubbling, emotions open for all to see, while the other was dark, quiet, more usually prone to sarcasm, his emotions hidden behind cool detachment. No stranger would guess they shared a complex unbreakable bond, one forged in adversity, the sole reason both were alive today.

How on Earth could she compete with that bond? Shy Hinata, who'd always just watched, like she was doing now?

Her eyes blurred and she realised she was about to cry. No, now was not the time, she refused to let herself be so weak. She reminded herself she had the other girl's confidence, of Ino's words, told herself she needed to be strong. Determinedly blinking the tears away, she focused on her rival, taking time to regain her composure.

It was funny, she mused. Their two clans had an age-old controversy between them over their respective Kekkei Genkai. They'd competed often, each trying to prove their clan's superiority. She remembered Neji longing to face Sasuke in their first Chuunin exam.

As for herself, she'd felt many things for her Uchiha classmate, though never, like other girls, infatuation. She'd felt compassion for his loss of clan and loneliness, envy for his skills, pride in him, sadness when he turned against the village, even gladness when he returned. But, unlike others, she'd never felt animosity toward him, never viewed him as competition, a rival. Until now, knowing they were competing for Naruto.

So, yes, she'd been hurt and dismayed. Sasuke was attractive. The possibility Naruto might choose him over her was potentially devastating, despite Ino's reassurance. But all that was minor compared to what else Sakura's news had stirred up in her.

She'd been overwhelmingly jealous. It'd only been her initial shock, then the actions of her friends, that'd held her back from running right out of Ino's apartment to hunt Sasuke down like a dog. Unlike previously, it'd stunned her with its depth, giving her clarity, making her course of action as easy and inevitable as breathing.

She was determined to win Naruto! She wanted to fight for him, as long and as hard as she needed to, with all the power at her disposal until she finally won him. She honestly hoped she wouldn't need to resort to fighting dirty but…might be prepared to consider it. And if Sasuke got in her way, she knew exactly what she wanted to do to him.

She wanted to scratch his eyes out, even if she died trying!

And, it was so embarrassing! She couldn't believe she harboured such…stereotypical, girly feelings. She was a Kunoichi; she shouldn't have such…impulses! So she was sincerely grateful to her friends, despite how they'd misjudged her reaction. She'd needed the time to regain control, to think clearly.

Because determination to win Naruto was one thing and planning how to accomplish it was another. How was she going to do it? She'd have to detach Sasuke from Naruto first but again, how?

In all honesty and honour, she mused, the first step should be obvious. She just needed to summon the courage to do it. So, she set aside her timidity, her fearfulness and accepted the challenge. She strode boldly forward, certain of one thing above all. In this, she had the element of surprise. Sasuke had no idea what was coming…

* * *

><p>Sai was astonished. The shy, withdrawn Hyuuga was now determinedly marching toward Ichiraku's. Her purpose was obvious, he could sense it. It was remarkable, like seeing a timid tabby kitten suddenly transform into an unwavering tigress!<p>

Hastily he looked for a good vantage point. There was no way he was going to miss this!

* * *

><p>Sasuke casually counted empty bowls, wondering where Naruto put it all as the blonde ordered more ramen. His own second bowl was just an excuse to keep him company. He ignored the sound of someone entering, until he heard a soft greeting. He glanced up to see Hinata; shyly sitting down in the seat on Naruto's other side. He wordlessly acknowledged her with a nod. She briefly returned his glance, before turning her gaze to Naruto, who finally noticed her, looking up as he finished off his bowl.<p>

"Hey, Hinata," he greeted her happily, "Are you here for ramen, too?" She smiled, shaking her head as she turned her attention back to Sasuke.

"Actually, I'm here to speak with Sasuke," her soft voice was surprisingly steady. Naruto blinked, shrugging his shoulders before ordering yet another bowl. Bewildered Sasuke's onyx eyes met her gaze.

"Speak to me about what?" he was curious. Something in her eyes, something he couldn't pinpoint, caused his hackles to rise. It was like a premonition of danger, but of what? Hinata was certainly no threat, especially to him! His most prevailing impression of her was of her timid ness. It was a continuing wonder she'd graduated from the Academy and managed to cope on missions.

HInata wasn't surprised at his behaviour. They'd never really spoken much. When they did it'd been mostly insignificant things during missions, the rare formal gathering of clans or for schoolwork in their Academy days. It was obvious he didn't view her as someone of importance, let alone a threat.

"Preferably in private, please," she requested politely, as Naruto leaned forward over his food. In silence they gazed at each other over his back, polite patience in her eyes, curious speculation in his.

She'd never been a member of the old Academy girl horde, Sasuke recalled. It was a large point in her favour. While his biggest 'fans', Sakura and Ino, had thankfully stopped pursuing him, he still occasionally dodged advances from others. He blinked as a sudden thought struck him.

Oh, God help him, Hinata wasn't going to reveal a secret crush on him was she? Was that what the fuck was going on here? Some long standing thing she'd been too shy to reveal before? It fit too well, was the likeliest explanation for her request. It might even explain the feeling he had. He hid a horrified shudder. If she was, he was damned if he was going off somewhere alone with her!

He glanced down at Naruto, still voraciously eating ramen, totally oblivious to the conversation. Sorry Naruto, he silently apologised, you've just become a human shield. Looking back up at her, Sasuke replied warily, "I don't see why we need privacy. We can talk right here."

Surprised by his caution, Hinata's brow furrowed, head tilting as she considered him over Naruto's back. She wasn't emitting hostile intent was she? She studied him. Few people realised the Hyuuga's Byakugan also let them read body language exceptionally well. And Sasuke looked…anxious, his body language suggesting a need to hide - behind Naruto apparently. He was stubbornly trying to conceal it out of mulish Uchiha pride.

Sasuke Uchiha…was nervous…about her? Sasuke, the last Uchiha, one of Konoha's most powerful shinobi, with an international reputation, was trying to hide…from her? She slowly blinked; her mind racing as she tried to figure out why. Then insight struck. Swiftly she turned away, averting her eyes and blushing, as she silenced an uncontrollable 'eep' with a hand.

No, the powerful last Uchiha wouldn't need to hide from a mere girl. But Sasuke, hotly pursued by hordes of obsessed girls for years – gay Sasuke – might have concerns. It was obvious! He thought she was attracted to him and was about to confess! She didn't know what to laugh at first, his arrogance, his - now painfully apparent - alarm or just the entire situation.

She caught Ayame's eye as she brought Naruto more ramen. Ayame, who'd joined in conversations with the girls and given them good advice on several occasions, was openly interested in the proceedings; she knew where Hinata's real feelings lay. Naruto was still oblivious to anything but ramen. And, from the corner of her eye, Hinata saw Sasuke. Sasuke, watching her with poorly veiled dismay, as he oh so casually leaned on the counter, making Naruto even more of a barricade between them.

She just knew he'd mistaken her reaction for that of a lovesick fan girl! She knew he was afraid she was so far gone she'd hurdle Naruto to leap romantically into his arms! She knew it! Another faint 'eep' escaped into her palm as her mind conjured the intriguing image of Sasuke throwing Naruto at her in his desperate need to escape.

It was all so ridiculous! She'd arrived prepared to deal with a competitor only to be trapped in a farce!

Her awe of the standoffish Uchiha fell away as he was suddenly revealed to be just another silly arrogant young man. He reminded her of several cousins who she'd gently but firmly taught to respect her. Motivated by the similarity, she gave in to an irrepressible playful impulse. Turning a laugh into a discrete cough she turned back to him.

Sasuke watched her with trepidation. He knew it! It was in the way she'd blushed, her coyness as she turned away. Even the faint squeaky noises she'd made. How many times had Sakura or some other girl done the exact same things around him? Why me, he wondered. Even when I discover I'm gay, I'm still hounded by…by…fan girls!

"So, Sasuke-kun," she playfully batted her eyes at him with a gently teasing smile, "Are you planning to re-establish your clan soon? Time is going by," she leaned over Naruto's back to whisper, "Don't you think you should find someone…nice, to have your children?" Her cousin Hiro was gay and his adorable three month old son, Hitachi, had been conceived through in vitro fertilization, carried to term by a female friend. Of course…Sasuke didn't know her cousin.

Sasuke felt his eyes strain as they widened. Was she suggesting what he thought she was? He urgently hoped she hadn't mentioned it to anyone in her clan. He blinked rapidly, swallowing, speechless from the horrifying image of marriage-minded Hyuuga elders chasing him down. Discreetly he began to shift back away from her.

Hmm, Hinata thought. Sasuke looked so…worried. What was he thinking of? He was also trying to back away from her, a feat hard to do sitting down. She heard Ayame choke back an astonished laugh in the background.

"You never know, Sasuke-kun," she continued brightly, her eyes sparkling in glee, "Maybe, one day, your children and Naruto's will be team mates! Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

His dark eyes grew huge in a pallid face, as he leaned even further away from her, choking slightly. His mind felt paralysed. Children, he thought dazed, I never considered children. He mustered his courage to deal with the nightmarish situation he was in. He silently cursed his fate, forever plagued by infatuated girls. Why him? Why? His face a comical mix of self pity, panic and dismay, he visibly wavered on the verge of flight.

It was too much. Hinata couldn't hold it back any longer. She turned away; laughter exploding as she bent over the counter and Ayame joined her. Naruto looked up briefly before his attention returned to his bowl. As for Sasuke, he froze, eyes darting suspiciously between them before staring at Hinata.

Laughing…she was…laughing at him? She…wasn't attracted to him? She'd been…well not ridiculing, it'd been too gentle but…teasing him? Shy Hinata? Timid Hinata had teased him?

Astonished and annoyed, he flushed. The saying was true, he grumbled to himself. When you assume you make an ass of you and me. And he'd certainly assumed, so he couldn't blame her using it against him. He was just surprised she'd dared. His personal estimation of her rose. It fuelled his curiosity about what she wanted to discuss with him. So he waited, in long-sufferingly silence, for the laughter to subside. When Hinata discretely wiped her eyes and Ayame was back serving Naruto he spoke.

"Okay, okay," he sighed in annoyed resignation, "Somewhere private, you said."

"Yes…would you follow me, please," amusement lingered in her smile as she rose to walk away. For a moment, she wondered if he'd attempt to be rid of her by simply refusing to follow. With an irritated Sasuke you never knew. Thankfully, footsteps behind her proved this wrong. She silently continued to lead the way.

"Where are we going?" he asked from behind her.

"Somewhere quiet," she didn't bother turning, "I need to speak to you about something important." He didn't comment further, following her into a nearby empty alleyway. He stood silently, his hands stuffed in his pockets, observing her as she turned to face him.

For a second she gazed at him, and then began to speak. Her words didn't come out rushed, or even hesitant, he was surprised to note. They were spoken with calm confidence, with honesty. She looked him in the eye, weighing his reaction while freely letting him see hers.

"I've been watching Naruto for a very long time, since we were children."

Her eyes softened as she quietly smiled, "He was…different, like I often felt I was, so I was curious. I saw things many others didn't about him. He was always in trouble, with everyone against him yet persisted despite the odds. He wasn't the clumsy or hateful nuisance like many thought. He was just a defensive and indomitable little boy. One who sometimes felt lost or hurt, but always found a way to smile. Who tried so hard to gain recognition and who failed, who fell down, but continually got back up to try again.

"Seeing he had absolutely nothing, yet never gave up, kept trying to succeed made me realise," She paused, her eyes introspective, "Made me see things differently, in ways I hadn't before. In ways I needed to. He…changed me. He inspired me to find my own strength, my own way to make my dreams come true.

"Long before I ever realised it, my heart went out to him. I fell in love with Naruto," she nodded calmly, acknowledging his startled reaction. Yes, I've been in love with him, for years, since we were all kids in the Academy," she paused to give him a moment to absorb it.

"As I grew older, those feelings for him didn't leave, they just grew stronger. But I couldn't bring myself to speak out about what I felt..." she closed her eyes briefly, drawing a deep breath before continuing.

"…Until he fought Pain. When I saw Naruto trapped, in danger, it was as if my heart stopped," her hand rose to rest over it, "I needed to protect him so badly. Even if it meant dying, I had to act. And finally," she blushed in remembrance, "Tell him what I felt for him. In the chaos that followed, the rebuilding, the war, it never seemed the occasion to find out how he felt about it. It never seemed the time to explore those feelings and what they might lead to, though my love for him is still strong.

"I know you're probably wondering why I'm telling you all this," she met his eyes frankly; "I know you have feelings for him too, Sasuke. That it's possible you love him too."

In silence they stared at each other, Hinata serenely smiling while Sasuke struggled to maintain his disguise of detachment, in the wake of her candid admission. The gentle understanding in her eyes was all the proof he needed to know he'd failed. He'd never felt so blindsided or the need to gape like a stranded fish. He'd never before felt so stripped bare in front of anyone, even on occasions he'd been physically naked.

"I'm not going to tell you to back off," she spoke with quiet dignity, "Loving him myself, I understand what you feel for him. I just wanted you to know it's time for me to explore it, even if it means we'll be competing for his heart. Even if it means you're my rival in this, I'm not going to hold back. I don't expect you to, either.

"When we return to Naruto," she calmly continued, "I'll be asking him to join me for a walk, where I hope to discuss my feelings with him. If all goes well, I'll be inviting him to dinner tonight." She candidly met his eyes, "Will you allow this, or should I expect difficulty from you, Sasuke?" In a wordless daze he shook his head no.

She bowed her head with simple grace, "Thank you. Then all that's left is to wish both of us good luck," her eyes met his again, "And return to Naruto. Will you join me Sasuke or remain here?" Still speechless, he gestured for her to precede him. She smiled at him as she passed and he fell in behind her, his mind still trying to make sense of it all.

It'd seemed like such a normal day, he numbly mused blinking apprehensively at Hinata's back. Come back from the mission; watch Naruto stuff himself with ramen, maybe look forward to his first gay love affair. How had it suddenly become this? At the moment his world was a humongous pretzel, twisted, and turned upside down and inside out - several times over, by his count. Was this divine retribution for not thinking over Naruto's words, last night? If he'd done so, could he have predicted this?

Yeah, right, he could've foreseen the most painfully shy person he knew would, in the space of a few minutes, express the desire to speak to him, hoist him on his own petard by teasing him unmercifully before laughing at him, calmly drop the bomb she'd loved his best friend/possible love interest for years, then declare them romantic rivals for that same person, while proving she had the uncanny ability to strip him emotionally naked.

What were the odds? If he wasn't Uchiha, he'd have sworn he was the victim of a Genjutsu. He blinked slowly for a second. Then, furtively glancing around, he quickly performed a hand sign while silently mouthing the word 'Kai'. Nothing happened.

Damn it, he griped as he followed Hinata back to Ichiraku's and Naruto…

* * *

><p>From his position on the roof above the alleyway, Sai blinked, unsure if he'd really just seen Sasuke Uchiha attempt to dispel a non existence Genjutsu. He could sympathise. 'Shy' Hinata had proven such an unexpected surprise, he would've believed it if someone had claimed it was a mind jutsu. He wondered how many had mistaken her quiet reserve for cowardice until it was too late.<p>

He had much to tell – and show - Yamato. He glanced through a series of sketches depicting the entire Ichiraku encounter, from Hinata's arrival to the pair of rivals leaving the alleyway below. Sai critically inspected his last sketch. In it, Sasuke was featured wearing an expression he believed was called being 'pole axed'.

His eyes returned to the ramen stall, as he pondered his next move. Should he follow Hinata and Naruto? Or wait until Tenten and Ebisu's date later. He idly debated, watching the pair sit on either side of Naruto. Perhaps he should report in? Then his attention was caught by two unanticipated players closing fast on the scene.

He wondered why Ino and Tenten were headed for Ichiraku's. Didn't Ino have to be at the village gate soon? He settled back down at his post. Apparently the show wasn't over yet…

* * *

><p>Ino and Tenten paused in the shadows to scan the ramen stall.<p>

"There they are," Tenten observed, "Hinata's there too. I wonder how she'd doing."

"I'm sure I glimpsed her just sitting down as we arrived," Ino stated, "She's probably spent all this time working up the courage. This is good. She hasn't had time to mess up. We just have to pull Sasuke away and give her a clear shot at Naruto."

"How do you want to play it?" Tenten spared her a quick glance.

"I need to get to the gate. Simple will work just fine," she hiked her pack more securely on her shoulder, "Come on, and follow my lead." Both girls moved purposely forward.

Hinata smiled warmly watching Naruto finish off another bowl. He was slowing, she noted, beginning to notice things around him, definite signs he'd be sated soon. She blushed lightly, covertly drawing a deep, encouraging breathe, nervously stirring the contents of her own small bowl. Soon, she'd be asking him to join her for that walk.

She glanced at Sasuke from under her eyelashes. She'd given him fair warning, but couldn't help feeling guilty. If their roles were reversed, she knew it'd hurt, forced to listen, to watch as he walked away with Naruto. She wished she could spare him the experience, but recognised and respected the stubborn pride that'd made him return, kept him in his seat, moodily playing with his food. Distracted, she didn't notice the new arrivals until a voice startled her.

"Hello, everyone," Ino brightly greeted them. Hinata nodded a puzzled greeting to Tenten. Why were they here, she wondered. Didn't Ino have to leave soon? They must've come straight from her house, she noted, seeing the pack and dress bag.

"Hey Ino, Tenten," Naruto grinned, "Are you here for ramen? Come on and join us! The more the merrier!"

"Hey, Naruto," Tenten grinned back, "Appreciate the offer, but we don't have time. We're just here to have a quick chat with Sasuke."

"A quick private chat," Ino aimed an expectant look at Sasuke.

"You want a private talk…with me?" his last private talk all too fresh in memory, Sasuke warily glanced between them.

"It won't take long," Ino waved airily, "It'll only take a few minutes."

Crossly, Sasuke almost refused, and then caught sight of the puzzled Hinata, over Naruto's shoulder. With an inward wince, he acknowledged his present situation. It was either refuse and sit here playing third wheel, or agree and have an excuse to leave. At least, he consoled himself; they couldn't make his life more complicated than it already was. Irritably ignoring the feeling of relief, he sighed, rising from his seat.

"Okay, where do you two want to…talk?" he looked back at Naruto, "I'll be heading home, after, so I'll just say my goodbyes now."

"Want me to drop by later?" Naruto asked.

"Nah…I'm tired. I don't feel like company," he turned away to follow the girls out of the stall. Naruto watched him go, reminding himself Sasuke was still dealing with the changes in his life, and he'd need time before he was ready to open up. He sighed, poking glumly at the remains of his meal, until a soft voice interrupted.

"Naruto," Hinata blushed, looked down at her own bowl, and then firmly put her chopsticks down beside it. Looking up into his eyes, her soft voice was determined, "I was wondering if you'd take a walk with me? There are…things I've been waiting a long time to discuss with you."

"Um…sure," he quickly finished his ramen, catching Ayame's eye to signal for the bill…

To Sasuke's irritation, the two girls led him to the same alley Hinata had. Impatiently glancing around, he leaned back, arms crossed, against the alley wall, waiting for them to speak.

"Look, Sasuke," Ino began, "I know you like Naruto…"

He blinked in exasperation, wondering just when he'd become an open book to everyone in Konoha.

"…but Hinata's been crazy about him for a really long time." She made the effort to keep her tone reasonable despite his moody attitude quickly getting on her nerves. She wondered irritably what his problem was.

What is this, a fucking rerun? If so, the original was far better. Tenten he noted had the grace to look uncomfortable. Ino just looked her usual bossy self. For a second he wondered if Hinata'd put them up to it but recalled her bewildered face when they'd arrived. So, they were acting on their own recognisance, probably thinking they were doing the usually timid Hyuuga a favour. It was comforting to know he wasn't the only one to underestimate her. Hinata had his grudging respect. These two didn't…yet. He saw no reason to make it easy for them.

"Excuse me," he interrupted, his tone condescendingly bored, "First…I don't think this is any of your business. Second…what makes you think I care?"

"Um…look, Sasuke," Tenten took a deep breath; "Hinata's a friend. And she's pretty shy, so sometimes it takes a little support to get her to assert herself." She muttered, "I blame her family for that!" before continuing. "We don't want to see her hurt. And she could be, badly and very easily, between you and Naruto. I know it's not our place to interfere, but just…take it easy on her, will you?"

If they only knew, he thought in irritable amusement. They should be asking Hinata to take it easy on him. He had to give Tenten points, though, he conceded.

"Don't be so conciliatory, Tenten!" Ino snapped. He was finding this all amusing and beneath him, the smug Uchiha bastard! "Let's try this on for size, shall we?" she coolly levelled her finger at him, "You mess with Hinata, you mess with all four of us. What do you think of that?"

"I don't think you're much of a problem, Ino," his eyes narrowed at her in distaste, "And who's 'all four' of you? I just see you two and by extension, Hinata, who I doubt knows about this little discussion."

"Plus Sakura," she smirked at him, "I think the odds are on our side."

Sasuke's brain went into overdrive. What did Sakura tell them? Obviously that he was interested in Naruto, so by extension she'd have to tell them about his being gay. Damn it! They were barely back in the village! Ino was the worst gossip he knew! It was going to be all over the place before he'd even got used to the idea himself! He was so preoccupied with his thoughts, he wasn't aware his exasperation showed.

"Please don't be angry at Sakura," Tenten hurriedly put in, "She knew Hinata's feelings for Naruto. She didn't want her to get blindsided. It would've devastated her."

No, he groused, better for him to be the one blindsided. Damn it! Girls and their gossiping! The day just got better and better didn't it? Well, if he was going to be gossip fodder, so should she!

"Don't count on Sakura," he smirked, his eyes on Ino, as he shifted lazily against the wall, "She's busy these days. Or so I assume, from how she and Kakashi acted last night…especially judging from the hand she had firmly attached to his ass." He watched, wondering how they'd react.

"Really…?" Tenten's eyes glowed with delight, her grin infectious. "On his ass…? Really…Kakashi's ass…and you saw her do it? Way to go, Sakura!" she cheered earnestly, "Go, girl, go!"

His mouth quirk up at her, but his eyes locked on Ino, whose face shifted with myriad emotions. No, he concluded, Ino didn't look happy. More like a combination of feeling shocked, angry…and was that a touch of anxiety? He belatedly remembered Kakashi's saying he was helping Sakura with one of Ino's challenges. Obviously he'd accidentally hit a sore spot.

Ino numbly fought her astonishment. It couldn't be true. She'd almost convinced herself Sakura's claims were all bluff, but now…her hand on his ass? There was no way little Miss Pink and Prissy could get that far with Kakashi! A small internal whisper of 'could she?' had her revisiting her earlier self doubts – and she hated it! Her temper flared and she ground her teeth, struggling to regain her poise. It was impossible, she thought. But there stood Sasuke telling her he'd seen it. With that damned insufferable smirk on his face!

"We're not talking about her,' her tone was razor-sharp; "We're talking about you, giving Hinata a chance, Sasuke. Not that I think Naruto would pick you over Hinata, anyway," she sniffed disdainfully.

His eyes narrowed, "Oh, she can have her chance," and won it all by herself, Ino. Maybe she'll even win Naruto, he silently added, but I'm not going to share that with you. "Of course, if I want, I can take Naruto back anytime I feel like it," he drawled, lazily confident.

"Oh, please," she scoffed, "You…seduce Naruto away from Hinata? I doubt you know how to flirt let alone seduce anyone. Talk about all bark and no bite!" She laughed shortly.

"Um…people," Tenten, sensing the rising temperature, uneasily glanced between them, "Friendly chat here, remember?" she raised a hand, signalling for calm, "We're all friends here!" Eyes locked, the two ignored her.

"Oh, I don't know about bark," Sasuke's arrogance was infuriating, "But I don't mind biting in the right situations," he confidently quirked a brow, with a cocksure boast, "If I wanted, I could seduce anyone I chose, no problem. I just never," his eyes raked her from head to toe, "Chose you, Ino. Of course," he tilted his head in appraisal, "Your seduction skills have never impressed me. Now, Sakura…" he lifted an approving finger, "…has definite skill. She knows how to seduce someone, as Kakashi can obviously attest to."

Ino's eyes glinted dangerously, voice deceptively, coolly calm, "Are you saying Sakura is better than me, Sasuke?"

Again both ignored Tenten's quiet "Oh god…no." in the background, as she worriedly looked back and forth between them. It was like watching an impending disaster you can't stop, she thought despairingly.

"Hmmm…" he mimicked sincerely debating the question, disregarding Tenten's desperate whisper "Don't say it, Sasuke, please don't say it."

"Yes," he finally confirmed. Tenten cringed, slapping her hand over her eyes with a moan.

"OOOOoooooh…" Ino hissed, before violently throwing her pack down, savagely snarling "That's it, DUCKBUTT!"

Duckbutt…? Sasuke blinked, stunned. Did she just call me…duckbutt?

* * *

><p>On the roof above, Sai paused in his sketching, wondered if he'd heard right. Did Ino just call Sasuke…duckbutt? He critically examined the stunned Uchiha. Yes, he had to concur; his hairstyle did have a passing resemblance to a duck's posterior.<p>

He tilted his head, considering its merits as a nickname. Sasuke was the last original Team Seven genin he hadn't given one to. Hmm…Ugly, Dickless and Duckbutt, he recited silently. It sounded somehow…appropriate.

He returned his attention to the scene below, where Ino was in full cry.

* * *

><p>"You really think you're something, don't you?" she stormed over to stick a finger in his face, "You arrogant Uchiha bastard, you! You…make judgements about my seduction skills? And think Sakura…prissy Sakura, who can barely even say the word sex… is better than me? You…? Who's never been interested in sex, in anyone…period…before now?" she let loose a hard laugh. "You think you're better than me?"<p>

"Ino, calm down," Tenten cautiously moved closer, "Before you do something you'll regret."

"I think I've seen enough of your…skills…to last me a lifetime, Ino," Sasuke glanced irritably at her finger then into her face, "Certainly enough to judge what I think of them."

Well, now we know why every girl's failed with you, not just me, don't we?" she smiled with false sweetness, "Even Sakura. Obviously no girl has what you're looking for. We don't have the right equipment. Isn't that right…Sas-gay?"

"Ino!" Tenten sharply rebuked, as Sasuke's eyes narrowed, "That's enough!"

"Oh, no…I don't think so," she purred dangerously, "If Sas-gay has such incredible seduction skills, I think we should see them. Since obviously we need to know what we're doing wrong."

"What are you talking about now?" he frowned impatiently, "You know I'm not interested in you, Ino."

"Oh…I'm not talking about me," her eyes glinted in anticipation, "After all, you said you could seduce anyone…no problem…didn't you?"

"So you want me to what…seduce Naruto?" Sasuke guessed cautiously.

"Of course not," she smirked, "He's too easy and we have to think of Hinata. So we'll just have to figure out something else," she smiled evilly, "But we won't make it too hard."

She turned abruptly, marching to her pack. She bent down, opening it to pull out something on top. She returned Sasuke was surprised to see, carrying a tissue box. She shook it and he heard something shuffling inside.

"Here we go," she announce airily, "The perfect way you can show us what you're made of."

"Oh, come on, Ino," Tenten protested, as he eyed Ino and the box warily, "You can't be serious. That's going too far."

"I don't think so," her eyes bored into his challengingly, "He talked the talk, lets see if he can walk the walk. Let's see him put his reputation where his mouth is. See if he's up to the challenge."

"A tissue box?" he glanced questionably at it, "What's so challenging about that?"

She shook the box again. "In here are the names of several men on folded pieces of paper. No girls with the wrong parts so you won't be too…" she smirked brightly, "…sexually challenged. You're going to pick one. You will then have rest of today and the following two days to seduce him."

"And you think I'm going to agree to that," he shook his head, "you're off your rocker, Ino."

"What's the matter," she mocked, "Can't practice what you preach? You were the one who made such big declarations about your sexually prowess. One little challenge and you're backing out…the great Sasuke Uchiha? Where's all that confidence now? Or is that your big secret…you're spineless when it comes to the test? I wonder…" she tapped a finger on her chin, "…what everyone will think when this story gets around?"

"You'd do that wouldn't you," he accused her, "If I don't do this, you'll spread it all over the village."

"In a heartbeat, Duckbutt," she confirmed, before extending the box mercilessly, "You said you could do it. Prove it. So, shut up and pick a name!" They stared silently at each other, hers challenging, his assessing.

Tenten sighed, shaking her head in defeat. What was the sense of saying more, she wondered, they weren't listening to anything she said. Apparently her role was to be the fly on the wall instead of the peacemaker in this argument. She sat down on an overturned trash can, waiting to see how it would play out.

Finally, Sasuke sighed, reached into the box and pulled out a slip of paper, holding it without opening it.

"You know I could just hang on to this until you're gone, throw it away and forget about the whole deal?" he remarked, "You wouldn't know who I picked."

Ino, smiling triumphantly, had moved to a pair of trash cans nearby. Setting the box down, she'd begun to take the slips out, looking at the name on each before ripping it up and throwing it away.

Hmm…" she looked at a slip in her hand, "…too bad. That might've been interesting to watch. Ah, well," she ripped it up.

"Don't be too sure," she glanced at him, "I know the names on all these. All it takes is a simple process of elimination and…" she smirked as she threw away the last shreds of paper, tossing the tissue box after them, "…that's that. Well, I've got to say, nice pick. Your target is young, talented and handsome. I think I'm jealous." She moved to her pack, closing it before hoisting it to her shoulder again. She turned with a warning look.

"I have to leave for a while, but I'll be back. Don't think I won't find out what happened while I'm gone. I'm an expert in working the gossip grapevine. Eventually, I hear everything that goes on in this village," she smiled coolly at him, "So, I'll know if you back out. I'll know if you fail. I'll even know if you succeed…not that I give that good odds of happening." She nonchalantly turned to go.

"So…I guess all I have left to say is…" she shot a last mocking look over her shoulder, "…good luck, Sasuke." She glanced at Tenten, asking "Are you coming?" before marching out of the alley.

"Um…sure," Tenten rose from her seat. As she passed Sasuke, she leaned closer, "Sorry about this, Sasuke…and good luck…really," she said sincerely. He nodded in acknowledgement.

For a brief time he leaned on the wall, looking at the folded slip in his hand, trying to make sense of what'd happened. What was that he'd thought earlier, he mused numbly, when those two showed up at the ramen stall? That they couldn't make his life more complicated than it already was? Well, he'd certainly been wrong! Damn it, he griped, he was gay! He wasn't supposed to have girl troubles anymore! It just wasn't fair! He might as well be straight!

He hesitated, and then unfolded the paper. His eyes widened in dismay as he read the name. Damn it, again! Of all the people in the village, why did it have to be him?

With a long suffering sigh, he pushed away from the wall. Better get home, he thought wearily, running a hand through his hair. It was going to take awhile to find his way out of this mess. Shoving the paper into his pocket, he left the alley. Events had given him a lot to consider, he glumly thought, and it wasn't even noon yet. He hoped the rest of his day wasn't as hectic. He needed to get home to do some serious thinking…

* * *

><p>It was an intriguing turn of events, Sai thought, watching him go.<p>

Sasuke was joining the Kunoichi game - and not as a target! A pity he'd kept the paper, he lamented. He was dying to know the name of Sasuke's target, but apparently it wasn't going to be that easy.

His next move was to update Yamato. He was sure his fellow ANBU would find his information as interesting as he did. With luck, he'd add Sasuke to the surveillance list. Not that he couldn't keep unsanctioned track of Sasuke as well as watching the girls, but old habits died hard and he preferred to have it official.

The ex-ROOT agent quietly slipped away to report in…

* * *

><p>"Alright," Iruka called, "We're ready. Everyone stay together and follow me to the gate."<p>

One teacher and his eager class rushed out of the Academy grounds at a steady, ground devouring pace. Iruka grinned, as thirty excited voices called out goodbyes to any friends and family they saw as they passed.

"Here we go," he whispered to himself…

Ino had reached the village gate with time to spare. She casually flirted with Kotetsu and Izumo as she waited. The two guards happily responded, openly admiring her attractiveness and tasteful makeup, engaging her in suggestive, flirtatious conversation. It soothed her, greatly improving her confidence and mood. She basked in their attention until the excited sounds of kids reached them. They turned, watching Iruka and his class swiftly approach.

"Ino," Iruka greeted her, as he signalled for the kids to slow, "Nice to see you. I hope you haven't been waiting long."

"No, not too long, Iruka-Sensei," she replied.

"Iruka, ready to go, then," Kotetsu called to him. "Lets get all of you signed out." He and Izumo each took a roster, letting Iruka sign one, Ino the other. The kids quickly formed a pack around them, as each waited to sign.

"Always remember," Iruka lectured, gesturing to those who were done to move away, "You sign in and out whenever you go on mission outside the village. This is how we keep track of people. If anyone's late, we know it and can send help if we think it's required. It could be difference between life and death. Is everyone clear on this? Yes? Good." He turned to Ino.

"I'll be taking the lead," he told her, "I want you to take the rear of the group, to keep the kids from straggling. It'll probably take a couple of hours to reach the camp site."

"Sure, Iruka-Sensei, I'll be glad to," she consoled herself with the thought she'd have more time with him later – without the kids.

"Who has to sign out, yet?" Iruka turned back to help his fellow Chunin. The three talked, laughing quietly for a couple of minutes as they finished the sign outs, checked the roster signatures before parting. The gate guards moved back toward the guard post, calling good luck and good journey to the kids who called back thanks.

"Okay, everyone form up behind me," Iruka called, "Ino will be at the end. If you get into trouble, make sure you tell us." He waited; checking to see everyone was in their place.

"Everybody ready?" he called, receiving multiple excited affirmatives. He grinned as he called, "Then let's go!" He walked out of the gate and down the road followed by a steady stream of kids. Kotetsu and Izumo watched, grinning, by the gate.

Ino moved toward the gate, in her turn. She didn't notice the kids in front throwing her furtive glances, was unaware when she passed the gate, she'd become fair game to thirty very eager pranksters. All of them wondered when the first prank would be played. Which one of them would strike first? And watched each step she made toward the gate, waiting for their mission to start.

As her feet passed over the line of the gate, an eager wave of whispers ran up and down the column. Ino smiled, believing their excitement was due to the trip. She didn't notice Yakima, positioned in the middle of the column; fix her in a steady gaze while making a series of hand signs before turning back.

"Ino," Kotetsu called out, "Have a good trip. Izumo and I will see you when you get back." The two waved a lively goodbye to the attractive girl.

She turned to wave, smiling flirtatiously, teasingly calling, "I'll see you when I get back boys," before quickly turning back. She didn't see the two guards freeze; arms still up, as they stared after her.

"Um…Ko?" Izumo glanced sideways, only his eyes and mouth moving, "Did…you see what I saw?"

"I…don't know Zumo," Kotetsu answered, copying him, "Was it…Ino's face?"

"Yeah," Izumo slowly lowered his arm. "What…happened to it?" he shuddered. Down the road, Iruka quickened the class' pace into a steady run away from the gate.

"I…um…think it's her makeup." Kotetsu said, uncertainly lowering his arm as well, "It looked like Kabuki makeup…didn't it? You know…white face, weird dark bushy eyebrows, purple veins all over, and sort of angry looking. The kind the evil villains wear, I think…isn't it?" The two contemplated the disappearing group, Ino's long blonde ponytail flying like a banner at the end of it.

"Do you um…think she knows? Izumo asked, "That her…makeup changed?"

"I…don't think so. She…didn't do it herself. We'd have seen her. And she was fine going out of the gate," Kotetsu conjectured, "So that leaves a prank…by one of the kids, you think?"

"It wasn't Iruka," Izumo shook his head, "Or us. That leaves the kids." He scratched his nose, as the last sign of the group disappeared into the trees.

"I wonder," Kotetsu mused, "How long it'll take her to catch on?"

* * *

><p>AN: Well, how was it? Go on, admit it… You loved it, didn't you! You must've laughed countless times, because I certainly did, when I read through it.

Please share your thoughts… We'll be waiting eagerly! ^_^


	12. Just Another Eventful Day in Konoha Pt1

A/N: Apologies for taking so very long to update. Hopefully, this chapter will make up for it.

A big thank you to all the lovely people who reviewed the last chapter! So glad to see you're enjoying the story so much. Without a doubt, you're going to love this new chapter… Plenty of happenings in this one!

Enjoy…

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><p><strong>Seven Days of Seduction – Chapter 12 – Just Another Eventful Day in Konoha Pt. 1<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

The day was beautiful, with a dazzlingly sky lightly ornamented with clouds. As her gaze swept the blue, Hinata was awed by its sheer beauty, the perfection helping to distract her nervousness. Her eyes shifted to an unexpectedly quiet Naruto, admiring the sunlit glints brightening his golden blonde hair as they walked along the riverbank path.

She watched him gaze into the sky with eyes the same intense blue. It was those eyes – brimming with honesty, at times full of pain and loneliness – she'd first noticed as a child. But it was the determination she'd seen in them, that seemed to grow no matter how many times he fell only to rise back up, that'd drawn her, was the very reason for her growth. Watching him had changed her. She'd been stunned by the realisation a person shouldn't give up, ever, no matter how difficult their situation. And before she'd realised it, she'd fallen in love.

She glanced away, conscious of the intensity of her feelings, instinctively sweeping the area around them. Noticing an absence of others on the path, she decided it was now or never. It'd be the second time she'd confessed her feelings. The anxiety made her stomach twist, her throat dry. She swallowed, telling herself to ignore it, it wasn't time for weakness. For her own sake, she needed to do this. It was time, and more than time, for this to happen. With a determined, silent breath, she broke the silence.

"Naruto…" her voice was steady, with none of the usual stuttering, a small part of her marvelled.

"Yeah, Hinata?" he turned with a whimsical smile and his full attention. She smiled back in response, before moving off the path. Wordlessly, she motioned for him to sit with her on the grass beside the river. Once seated, she turned, pale lavender eyes meeting blue.

"I've wanted to talk to you for a very long time," the babble of the river quietly surrounded them; "It never seemed to be the right moment. Until now," she glanced away, watching sunlight dance in the water ripples. He shifted slightly beside her in curiosity.

"When Pain first attacked the village, I was determined to fight or save others injured or trapped in the rubble. It was my duty as a shinobi of the Leaf. Then," she smiled in remembrance, "You arrived to fight him. I'm not the only one who stopped what they were doing to watch you. I never expected to do what I did that day, but when I saw you trapped…" she briefly closed her eyes, "I don't know what came over me. I wanted…no, I needed to save you. Even though I knew it would cost me my life." Idly she pulled a blade of grass, dropping it into the moving water.

"Hinata…" he began, but she held up a hand to forestall him. She turned to him, taking in his concerned eyes, the way his hands tensed on his knees. She remembered how strong and reassuring his hand had felt around hers when they'd stood, on a distant battlefield, facing the Juubi together, at the forefront of the Shinobi Alliance. The memory gave her strength.

"I meant everything I said to you that day. Before I died, I wanted you to know what I felt for you. What I'd felt for you for years, but never had the courage to say," she blushed. "I couldn't get the words out, or stutter…or…or…" she winced slightly, "…um…faint."

"You mean you faint because you like me?" it was a revelation to him, "Wow, you faint a lot…um…" to her delight he blushed, stammering an apology, running a hand through his hair as he repeatedly glanced shyly between her and the water.

"I do," she giggled into her hands, blushing yet again, "don't I?" She caught his eye; both glanced away, looked back just as he did the same. They burst out laughing. Hinata couldn't believe how good it felt. As the laughter finally died away, they sat smiling at each other.

"Naruto," her eyes never left his, "I know it's been a long time since that day. I never got a chance to talk to you about it. It always seemed as if events around us interfered and somehow, it was never the time. So I waited…and hoped. I don't know how you feel about me, if you ever did or could feel the same for me," she paused, shyly placing her hand over his, where it rested between them in the grass.

"I do know I still feel the same. No," she closed her eyes briefly, and then opened them to meet his with a quiet wry laugh, "If anything, it's just gotten stronger over time. I still love you, Naruto and always will." She watched his eyes widen, wondered if it was just her imagination that made it seem he wasn't breathing.

"Hinata…" the soft breathlessness of his voice told her it wasn't.

"I know it's been a long time. You probably weren't expecting me to bring it up so suddenly," she took a deep breath, "Maybe I'm just being selfish. But I want to spend time with you, just the two of us, to have the chance to know if you can love me too." She stared into his eyes, feeling the warmth of his hand under hers. She wanted to be selfish, to be part of his life, to have something, some part of him, to be hers alone. She could feel her emotions welling up in her chest, realised how much she wanted to hear him say yes. The silence lengthened between them, the only sounds the water and their breathing as they stared at each other.

"I'm sorry," she finally looked away, removing her hand from his, unable to control her disappointment, "After all this time, I'll understand if you don't…" Naruto started, quickly interrupting.

"N-no…don't apologise, Hinata. I'm not saying no, it's just…" he ran a hand through his hair, reddening, "It's a surprise, that's all. I know it's difficult to say something like this. It's hard to confess your feelings when you don't know how the other person feels. It can be scary and really painful," he gave her a wry grin, "I know. I've tried a few times, in the past. Somehow I always seem to get punched, usually through a tree, or a wall."

"Sakura?" she commiserated.

"Yeah," he grimaced, "Painful, in more ways than one. Man, am I glad I heal fast. Believe it! But see," he glanced shyly at her, "I'm used to being the one confessing. I'm not used to being on the other side," he fidgeted uncertainly, "I'm not sure I'm doing it right, or how to do it at all."

"Naruto," she smiled quietly, relaxing, her eyes brightening, "Thank you for understanding. And I think you're doing just fine, even if you don't know how." Adorable yet a bit dorky, she thought, charmed, deciding the term 'adorkable' fit him perfectly.

"Really?" he grinned, his intensely blue eyes meeting hers. Not trusting her voice, she nodded.

"So," she finally managed, "If you're not saying no…" she took a deep breath, "Would you go out with me tonight?" When he hesitated, she added, "To dinner…at…um…the Golden Katana?" Tenten'd mentioned it, she remembered and with her mind blanking in relief and nerves, it was the only place she could think of.

"Ah…" he still hesitated, his brow creased in troubled thought. Was he thinking of Sasuke, she wondered. She'd told her unusual rival she wouldn't hold back and meant it. But, if Naruto was hurt in the process, she would hurt with him and regret her part in it. Even so, she wanted, needed to have this chance to win his heart.

"I…um…sure, okay," he grinned bashfully at her, "It's the first time a girl's asked me out, though, so I'll probably need a few pointers." She giggled, relieved and blushing in delight.

"Well, why don't we discuss it? And, Naruto," she smiled warmly, "Thank you."

* * *

><p>Sakura put her years of dealing with Kakashi to use, calculating as she wiped down the counter.<p>

When she'd set their meeting time three hours ago, she'd counted on his tendency to be late. On the way from Ino's she'd done some grocery shopping before getting home to her much anticipated bath. Later, relaxed and clean, she'd craved something more substantial than the light fare she'd eaten earlier. A fresh chicken salad along with a bowl of rich potato and bacon soup had hit the spot, needing little cleanup afterward. Now, she estimated, throwing her dishcloth into the sink, Kakashi should be arriving any time within the next hour.

Moving to her living room, she browsed her medical magazines. Choosing a couple with articles on chakra surgery, she settled on her couch to read while waiting…

* * *

><p>*…he feels her lips moving, the sensation mixing with the heat of her breath as she gasps explosively into his palm. Her hand tightens almost painfully around his. Her green eyes widen, dazed and blind, before sensually half closing as her head falls slightly back. Her body arches and trembles, breasts heaving as she unconsciously, breathlessly, wordlessly moans into his hand.<p>

He reacts to her, swallowing at the movement of her breasts. There's a throbbing tightness at his crotch and his breath quickens. His nostrils twitch under his mask, like a dog's, catching her scents, from the tang of her arousal to the subtlety of her personal essence. His eyes follow a sweat drop slowly travelling down her neck into her cleavage and he has the strong desire to let his tongue follow in its wake. He's aware, soul deep, of her desirability, her absolute femaleness and his growing need to possess her.

"Sakura…" he whispers. Her eyes meet his, dark and dazed with longing and he responds gladly with swift action.

His free arm whips across to encircle her just beneath the arms. Pulling her with him out of their seats, they land in the grass beside the makeshift 'table', with her beneath him. He yanks his mask down, ravaging her gasping lips. He feels her hands roving his back, entangling in his hair as their lips war with each other, tongues grappling.

Then skin slides slickly against skin. A part of him faintly questions where their clothes went then goes silent as his hands trace sweat damped silken curves, eliciting wanton moans. His tongue follows the sweat drop's path, down the valley between her breasts. He plays with those hills, with tongue and fingers, teasing nipples to peaks, before allowing his tongue to follow the trail of his fingers further down her body. Gliding down around her belly, he swirls his tongue around her navel before following that trail to her damp sex. With fingers and tongue he teases her, watching with avid eyes as she writhes, arches, gasps and moans. She cries out his name, her hair spread on the grass, legs widening and back arching, her hands tangled in his hair.

As he tastes her climax, his control snaps. He dives upward to fasten his lips to hers. Trembling in need, he rises above her, sliding his erection slowly, slicking it with her wetness as he guides it into her. With a sudden snap of his hips, he plunges deeply, gasping "Sakura". He moans, feeling her tightness around his sex as she whimpers a broken "Kakashi…ooooh, Kakashi", her legs wrapping securely around His body.

He watches her as he slowly withdraws then plunges deeply, repeatedly. Her gasps and moans grow more ragged, her breasts jiggling with the force, as his thrusts grow harder, deeper, faster. Her hands tremble as they caress his chest; roam his back restlessly before flowing down to knead his ass in time to his thrusts, encouraging, demanding. They raced toward completion to the sound of her breathy cries mixing with his repeated groans.

"Sa…kura...Sakuuuraaa…yes, Sakura…"

"Kakashi...Ooooh, Kakashi…yes, oooooh, yes…Kakashi…"

"Yo, Boss, wake up!"

Kakashi's eyes snapped open, feeling a painful tightness at his crotch with a sense of déjà vu. His eyes slid sideways to the small pug sitting on the side of the bed.

"This'd better be damn good, Pakkun," he rasped, raising himself on his elbow.

"Hey, you were the one who gave us our orders," Pakkun's incongruously deep voice was reproachful, "You wanted to wake up about now to eat before going to Sakura's." The small dog rose to jump down off the bed. "We even gave you a few extra minutes due to your…condition. It didn't do much good; you just went even more in heat. Not that it takes much with humans," he sniffed, "All you need to do is think about mating and you're ready to go."

"Hey, boss," Urushi called from the doorway as Kakashi moved to sit on the edge of his bed, hand running through his hair, "Still worked up?" Shiba and Akino joined him.

"Oh, come on…" Akino's glasses dimly reflected light as he glanced crossly at the other dog, "…that's a stupid question. You could smell that way down the block, Numbnose."

"I think it's great, boss," Shiba's black Mohawk quivered as he eagerly doggy grinned, "All of us think it's just what you need."

"And it's about time too," Guruko's head appeared around the doorframe.

Kakashi leaned his elbows on his knees, trying to ignore the ache in his groin as he stared, "What are you talking about? Since when are any of you interested in a human being in heat or mating?"

"Ew, boss, don't be gross," Pakkun curled his lip in distaste, "What do you want to do…traumatize us? At least we have nice simple mating behaviour. A bitch goes in heat, we dogs sniff around her, maybe beat off a few rivals until she agrees we're the top dog and then, when she's ready, we're all good to go. But you humans…you're crazy," his eyes rolled meaningfully, "I gave up trying to figure youout when you were sixteen, and I caught you with that ANBU team mate hanging upside down in a tree mating like a pair of bats. And, just FYI, what you have the nerve to call 'doggy style'…isn't."

Kakashi grinned nostalgically as he recalled being a sexually experimental sixteen. He stood up, stretching as he headed for the bathroom.

"So, again…what are all of you talking about?" he closed the door partway, curiosity warring with the need to deal…for a second time that day…with an inconvenient erection. He ran water.

"About her of course," Uhei voice answered.

"Yeah, boss," Bisuke's added, "That red merle she pup's grown into a fine bitch. We're all in agreement."

"She's worlds better than that pair of crazy he pups she runs with," Guruko put in.

"Still not getting you," he paused in splashing his face wondering what 'red merle she pup' they meant. He grabbed a towel, beginning to dry himself.

"Sakura, boss," Pakkun shocked him immobile; "We think she'll make a fine mate for you. It's about time you got around to choosing one." Forcing himself into motion, towel in hand, he flung open the door.

"What makes you think I want Sakura as my mate," he stared around at the eight dogs crowded into his room.

"Oh, come on, boss," Shiba snorted, "It's obvious." The rest of the pack doggy grinned, eyes laughing and tails wagging in agreement.

"It's not obvious to me," he glared around at them.

"Humans…" Pakkun's sad eyes rolled despairingly at him, "…it's never as simple as it ought to be."

"Then why don't you explain it to me," Kakashi's tone was irritable.

"All right," the small pug sighed, "If you need it spelled out to you. Judging by the way you were moaning Sakura's name in your sleep, she's the one you're in heat for. With humans, that means you want her. But she's not like all those others, who stayed a day or two, a few weeks at most, and then you never saw again. She's already part of the pack and has been since she was a pup, along with Naruto and Sasuke."

"Pack is pack," Bull intoned solemnly, "It's serious."

"So, if you want her…" Uhei added, "…it's serious."

"We just want you to know," Shiba joined in, "That we like her."

"And we approve," Urushi concluded, "Of her becoming your mate and the pack's alpha bitch."

"That's not happening," Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing, "You've got it wrong. I'm just helping Sakura with one of Ino's challenges."

The dogs looked at each other, then at him, before filing, still grinning and tail wagging, out of his bedroom. Pakkun, last to leave, sat watching them go before staring up at him.

"You just keep telling yourself that, Boss," he humorously snorted, as he stood, "Humans and their crazy mating practices." With stately dignity the small pug strolled out, finally giving Kakashi some privacy to deal with his condition…

* * *

><p>Sasuke chased the headache pills down with water, before putting the glass down. He rubbed his forehead, leaving the bathroom to return to a chair overlooking the garden. Sighing, he sat blinking at the serene landscape in front of him, waiting for the medication to kick in.<p>

For the hundredth time, he wondered what the hell had possessed him. How had he let Ino manoeuvre him into her challenge? A challenge, of all things, to seduce the person whose name he picked - within a time limit, no less.

Well, he mused, now he had an idea why Sakura's hand was on Kakashi's ass last night. Somehow she'd managed to get him to conspire with her in order to beat Ino's challenge. He shook his head ruefully, impressed by her solution to the problem and wondering how she'd managed it. Then, head tilting and lips reluctantly quirking, he considered their mutual, unconventional ex-sensei, realising she might've found it easier than he'd first thought. Knowing Kakashi, the situation wouldn't have just appealed to him, it'd probably been irresistible.

Which didn't help his situation at all, he sighed, fingers playing with the now worn piece of paper. He stared at the name, frowning as he considered the odds of Sakura's solution working for him. Then he winced, rubbing his still aching forehead as he concluded that no, he couldn't see it.

Since his return he'd encountered several of his target's brethren, generally while in the company of Team Seven. On each occasion they'd arousing his preservation instinct, striking him as cold, emotionally detached, dangerous and rigidly professional. It'd taken careful observation to recognize the subtle respect they offered to Kakashi and, in a lesser form, to Naruto and Sakura. For him they'd reserved the cold clinical regard given to a potential enemy. While it wasn't the first or last time he'd faced such attitudes, they were certainly the most disturbing. It'd taken one of Kakashi's enlightening talks, part clarification and part warning, to understand why.

As for his target, their exposure to each other had been limited due to conflicting duties. Frankly, he puzzled Sasuke. From what little he'd seen he could be more devastatingly honest than Naruto. On the rare missions he'd been assigned to Team Seven, his attempts to be sociable were marred by a sense of detachment, of extra effort, as if he didn't wholly understand how to deal with others outside mission procedures. He studied those around him with an unnerving, almost scientific zeal. Sasuke'd been stunned the first time he'd heard the man's nicknames for Naruto and Sakura. He'd been even more stunned by his team mates' response, having laid odds on Sakura meting out major damage on the culprit. Instead, the ease with which they bickered with him – as easily as with Sasuke himself, was absolute proof his team mates accepted him as a trusted member of Team Seven.

Sasuke, despite never having any real conflict with him and particularly after Kakashi's talk, still had his doubts. The two had fallen into the habit of mutually ignoring each other outside of mission requirements. He'd been thankful never to work alone with him. It would've been…awkward. He knew his reasons for feeling that way, the bulk of it due to the ghost standing between them, more than the discomfort of knowing he'd been Sasuke's replacement. He also knew sooner or later they'd need to deal with those issues. That time might be now.

Sasuke had no illusions. Though he was honour bound to try, Ino's challenge was the least of his problems. Any feelings the man might have for the last Uchiha might be wholehearted, but Sasuke doubted they were friendly. Failing Ino's challenge seemed unavoidable. What might be achievable was common ground on another level, enough to ease any problems between them, as occasional team mates. But to do that meant dealing with the one subject Sasuke would prefer never to revisit.

"Damn it," Sasuke growled, crumpling the paper in his hand, "Of all the people to pick…why'd it have to be him?" He unconsciously glared at an inoffensive shrub nearby, as he unwillingly remembered their mutual ghost. Why couldn't the man have the decency to be forgotten, to become as dead to memory as to life? The last thing he wanted was to deal with anything associated with Danzo, ex-ROOT member or otherwise.

"Why the hell did it have to be Sai?"

* * *

><p>Sai sneezed.<p>

He immediately ducked behind the chimney, senses alert for chakra spikes and movement, waiting an interval before carefully sneaking a quick look down into the compound next door. To his relief the Uchiha was too preoccupied to notice his blunder. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to find an observation post with a good angle to observe Sasuke's face. It appeared he was muttering to himself, but Sai couldn't read his lips. Had he mentioned the name of his target? It seemed a likely possibility. Another missed opportunity, Sai sighed inaudibly.

Luckily there'd be others. Yamato'd been as interested in Ino's challenge to the Uchiha as Sai'd been. The ANBU captain had found the drawings and report of the morning's events to be quite entertaining. He'd officially added Sasuke to the surveillance list, with a speculation on how interesting Sai's next report might be. The ex-ROOT agent hoped he'd be able to oblige.

He assessed the Uchiha. It seemed likely Sasuke wasn't going anywhere for a while. Was he strategizing? With only two more days to seduce his target, he'd need a workable plan as soon as possible. Sai was as interested to see what he came up with as to find out who the target was.

He glanced at the sun, taking note of the time, debating how long he could stay at this post before running a discrete check on the girls. He decided to give it another half hour. There were several spots in the garden where he'd have a good view of Sasuke's face. If he was lucky, the Uchiha would take a walk and mutter to himself a bit more…

* * *

><p>A light rapping from her balcony drew Sakura's attention from an interesting editorial debating the merits of various types of surgical seals. Marking her spot, she set the magazine aside for later, before heading to the balcony door.<p>

"Finally here, Kakashi-Sensei?" she grinned as she let him in, "And only what…an hour and a half late? I take it the little old ladies with heavy grocery bags were out in force this afternoon."

"Sakura, I'm shocked," his eye twinkled at her, "You should know better. All the little old ladies are busy with afternoon tea. I had to assist a litter of puppies lost on the side of the road. The poor little things were orphans and needed homes."

"And I'm sure you managed to find the perfect place for each of them," she leaned on the doorframe.

"Of course," he replied cheerfully, "Anything to help out our furry friends. You know how much I like dogs."

"To the tune of eight of your own," she pushed off the door to head for the kitchen. "And how are Pakkun and the pack? There wasn't much chance to talk to him during the mission. I haven't seen much of them recently."

"Oh, they're fine," he assured, following her. He took a seat at her kitchen table.

"You should tell them to come see me. I still have some of those dog biscuits they like," she put the kettle on. "They could stop by for a treat and chat. I've missed that. Would you like tea or coffee, Kakashi-Sensei?"

"Um…tea, please," something in his tone made her glance up, puzzled, "I don't know, Sakura…the pack's been busy lately. I'm not sure when they'd be able to visit. I'll relay the message," he blinked innocently at her. She gazed back, briefly wondering what he was hiding before shaking it off to continue her preparations.

"So, did you learn anything from Yamato?" she changed the subject.

"Yes," his eye crinkled into its signature smile, "I'd say Ino deserves your concern more than Iruka."

"Oh," she placed two mugs, a plate of muffins and butter on the table, sitting down across from him, "Care to explain?"

"It seems Iruka's arranged for her to help chaperone his class's overnight camping trip on mission procedures," he chose a mug, his eye merry.

"Yes, I heard that at Ino's," Sakura verified, "But judging from the expensive lace lingerie she's got in her backpack, she's planning on some extracurricular activity of her own. I don't think the kids are going to stop her."

"Expensive lace lingerie…? Interesting, but don't be too sure," he chuckled, lifting a finger, "There are factors Ino isn't aware of."

"And those would be?" her brows wrinkled as she frowned, perplexed.

"None of Iruka's students have ever learned about his past," Sakura had the impression of a wide grin under Kakashi's mask, "If they did, they'd never dare pull anything in his classes. When he was an Academy student and new genin, he was a bigger prankster than Naruto."

"He was…really? So," her eyes brightened, "He's going to prank Ino?"

"No, worse," Kakashi told her, "He gave the mission to his class. From the minute they left the village until they return, they're his secret body guards and have to keep Ino away from him…using any method short of actual harm. Ino's been fair game to thirty pranksters from the minute she stepped out of the village gate," he shook his head in admiration, as both he and Sakura burst out laughing, "Plus Iruka helped them make their pranks more…challenging…than they'd ordinarily be. I'd say Ino's in for an interesting trip."

"If she survives," she giggled, "You wouldn't happen to know where they're camping? Maybe we could take a quick run out that way later? Just to see how things are going?" she grinned eagerly across the table at him, eyes dancing, "You know you want to, just as much as I do, Kakashi-Sensei."

"It's tempting," he conceded, "But, unfortunately we have work to do. I understand Tenten is on a date tonight with…Ebisu, isn't it?"

"So, Yamato was watching more than Ino?" she sighed with a resigned smile, "Please tell me he's not doing it all by himself. Not right out of a hospital bed. If he is, I'm going to rake him over the coals the next time I see him." She rolled her eyes, "It seems to be a Team Seven trait…overdoing it."

"Don't worry, Sakura," he assured her, "He's following medical orders. And he's delegated the surveillance of the girls."

"Let me guess," she got up to take the kettle off, pouring the water into a teapot, "Sai's helping him, isn't he? I should've expected it," she sat down, setting the teapot on the table, "I thought I saw him across from Ino's this morning. Now I know it wasn't a coincidence."

"No, it wasn't. Though he hasn't had any luck finding out Hinata's um…target," he looked expectantly at her. She sighed in resignation, reaching for the teapot.

"That's because he wasn't in the village," she filled the mugs, "Hinata's target is Naruto."

"Naruto?" he stared at her, "After our last mission that could be…difficult…for her."

"You don't know the half of it," she blew on her tea, "She's been not so secretly infatuated with him since the Academy. Between how shy she is and Naruto being totally oblivious it's been a sort of 'watch and admire from afar' thing. Did you know it took seeing him trapped by Pain before she even confessed to him…just before Pain nearly killed her? She's lucky I got to her in time!" she shook her head.

"Hmm…I remember Kurenai mentioning something when you were all genin," he rubbed his mask as he tried to recall, "But beyond that, I don't remember Hinata ever talking to him much, at least in my presence, even when all of you were together."

"She didn't…much. She usually just blushes, stammers and faints," she looked out the window, thinking about the shy Hyuuga. Kakashi took the opportunity to finish half his tea.

"Even since Pain's attack, she never talked to him about her confession. Well, I could see how there'd be a delay. First she was punished by her father for going against the Hokage's orders, endangering herself, and then there was the rebuilding and war," she frowned, played with her mug, turning it around in her hands, "This morning she seemed so eager to go see him and I had to tell her about him and Sasuke. It really shocked her." She glanced guiltily at him.

"So she gave up on him?" he chose a muffin, breaking it in half to butter it.

"No, she still wanted to try," she took a hesitant sip, "I hope she doesn't get hurt. Or at least, not hurt too badly. She doesn't deserve it."

"Many people get hurt that don't deserve it, Sakura," he said gently, "its how we deal with it that makes us who we are. Don't underestimate her. She may be stronger than you realise. Who knows," his eye crinkled kindly at her, "Maybe it isn't hopeless after all. Whatever's going on between the boys is barely started. It's far too early to know what'll happen. She could still have her opportunity, if not now then later."

She looked at him gratefully, before closing her eyes in a brief prayer as she sipped her tea. Opening them, she glanced down, her eyes widening as she stared at the empty place his muffin had been.

"Kakashi-Sensei, how do you keep from choking to death?" she shook her head wryly, "You really shouldn't eat so fast." His amused eye twinkled at her at her customary complaint.

"Anyway," he clapped his hands sharply, "Back to business. Do you know where Tenten and Ebisu are going on their date?"

"I think she mentioned the Golden Katana. It's got a bar and dining, so they'd have the option of eating if they felt like it," she shook her head, "I'm not sure though. Ebisu might prefer another place."

"I'll have Sai give us a heads up," he grinned at her, "It seems he's found watching Tenten and Ebisu to be quite…educational." She snorted in amusement. If Tenten's account had been anything to go by, she was sure Sai had got quite the education! She blinked as an idea hit her.

"Could you ask him if he know how Hinata's doing?" she shrugged helplessly, "She was going to Ichiraku's after Ino's. I'd like to know if she's alright."

"It'd probably be a good idea," he agreed, "If only to ease your mind before our first performance tonight."

* * *

><p>Walking through the village streets, Sai sneezed.<p>

He blinked, running a quick assessment of himself and his surroundings. There were no sensations in his sinus and throat that signalled a cold. His surrounding area seemed free of pollen and other contaminates that would irritate him into sneezing. Yet, it'd happened during his surveillance of Sasuke, and now. It was puzzling.

He pondered the old superstition. Were people talking about him? It wasn't uncommon for such things to happen to a shinobi. It was thought to be a by product of being more in tune to themselves and the world around them than normal. But who could be talking about him…and why?

At least, this time he wasn't at a surveillance post, just on his way to another. Sasuke'd remained in his seat so Sai had reluctantly decided to check on Tenten and Hinata. He doubted it'd be any more eventful than his observation at the Uchiha's.

He had higher hopes for later, but wasn't opposed to being meticulous. You never knew when a surveillance target could surprise you. For instance, he wondered how Hinata had fared with Naruto. Her attitude and actions should point to an answer. Would she be downcast or excited? Either way he'd soon know.

But what he was really looking forward to was this evening, to Tenten's upcoming date with Ebisu. If previous events were any indication, it promised to be very entertaining…

* * *

><p>Sakura walked arm in arm with Kakashi around her living room, trying to ignore the feelings in her stomach when their bodies gently bumped. Her memories – and dreams – from the night before weren't helping. She focused on their planning as she tried to relax.<p>

"So, when you pick me up," she kept her voice steady, "We'll be walking to the Golden Katana like this? Won't people notice, Kakashi-Sensei? I mean, you know how fast gossip gets around."

"I'm counting on it," he replied. "Tenten may be our main witness, but it's better if she isn't Ino's only source. If she gets it from several places, she'll be more convinced of its reality. So, the more people see us – and gossip about it – the better."

"That makes sense," she exclaimed, impressed.

"Of course it does, Sakura," his eye smiled at her, "It's just basic human nature."

"And when we get to the restaurant?" it was absorbing to hear him turn what they'd practiced into a viable plan. It was astonishing how he'd considered it on so many levels.

"We take a small table," he led her into the kitchen, "One that provides Tenten with a reasonable view, while still giving the impression of intimacy and privacy." He handed her into a chair with a chivalrous air before taking a seat across from her.

"Um…is it going to be a replay of what we did last night," she didn't succeed from keeping the trepidation from her voice.

"Hmm…," he considered it, "I think it's best if we refrain from playing footsie this time." She kicked his shin under the table.

"So cruel, Sakura!" he rubbed his leg, playfully exaggerating a pained moan, "Think of our performance. People will be so interested in my injury it'll draw their attention from it."

"Yeah, right, Kakashi-Sensei," she sniffed, rolling her eyes as she leaned her arms on the table, "So what will we be doing?"

"The key is progression. We'll start with conversation and a bit of casual handholding…" he reached a hand across to take one of hers, laying it palm down on the table before placing his over it. As she felt its solid warmth that faint flutter started in her belly again. She gazed at their hands as he continued, "…Until the food arrives. Then we'll advance to trading adoring looks into each others eyes…," hers shot up to meet his lone one, her brows rising, "…while we eat, occasionally feeding small bites to each other." Breaking a piece from a leftover muffin, he leaned across to present it to her.

Sakura hesitated, glancing from it to him, before leaning forward to accept it. By accident his fingers lightly brushed her lips. The contact sent a tingling jolt between her legs. She barely held back a gasp. Fixing her eyes on the table she chewed and swallowed, uncomfortable aware of her reactions to him.

Clinically she took stock of herself. There was a trembling in her stomach. Dryness in her throat made it hard to swallow. She had goose bumps. Her breath seemed a bit faster and she was conscious of the pulse of her heart. She furtively pressed her legs together, feeling a faint dampness. How could he make so intensely aware of him? How could he make her react this way with the barest touch?

"Sakura?" his voice ran up her spine like dark velvet. Blinking, her eyes shot to his lone concerned one.

"Are you all right?" he noted her body's tension, the slight agitation in her green eyes. "We can stop if you want. Or call the whole thing off altogether. It's up to you," his gentle, caring tone was reassuring.

"I'm fine," she gamely smiled at him. Sakura, she told herself, get a grip and deal with it. "What's next? Do I feed you too? That's going to be hard with your mask."

"Well," his eye twinkled at her, "Why don't you try it?"

She broke off a piece of muffin, holding it to where she judged his mouth was under his mask. Astonished, she watched it disappear, feeling, instead of fabric, the sensation of warm lips and the damp tickle of a tongue teasing her fingers. She stared at him, mouth gaping. Amused, he warmly chuckled at her obvious surprise.

"A Genjutsu? When did you cast it? When did you take your mask down? Are you even wearing a mask at all?" the words burst out of her, "I didn't know you could do that! How…?" She paused, looking suspiciously at him, "Why do you even have a Genjutsu like that?"

"Gai has an occasional fondness for eating contests. For some reason they draw crowds. Maybe it's the sight of two idiot Jounin being messy," he grinned, "It'd be hard to maintain my..." his brow arched teasingly, "…mystic otherwise."

"But all this so no one sees your face? Really Kakashi-Sensei," she shook her head, "You're impossible!"

"Why, Sakura," he feigned hurt, "I consider it a very practical and useful jutsu."

"You would," she couldn't help laughing. Her eyes flew wide and she gasped as a thought struck her, "All those times we tried to see your face when we were genin. Did you use it on us?"

"Maybe," he drawled, "A time or two."

"Ooooh…that's so mean, Kakashi-Sensei," laughing hard, she wrapped arms around herself, her ribs beginning to ache, "When I think of all the hard work we put into those plans, especially Naruto…just to succeed and never know it? That's awful! You'd better hope he never finds out."

"They'd be able to hear him in Suna," he chuckled.

She wiped her eyes, trying to regain control of herself. When her breathing finally began to return to normal, she smiled across at him.

"So, what next?" she asked, "Or are we still at the meal stage?"

"I believe it's time for dessert," he replied. He captured one of her hands, brushing lips against fingers as he gazed at her. Sakura mouth went dry again.

"It's important," he looked deeply into her eyes, his voice a caress, "to give our audience the feeling all that's gone before is just the prelude, not the end of our night," his thumb lightly stroked her palm.

"I…I see," she breathed.

"Then we leave them with the impression," he rose, naturally drawing her with him, "By making our exit."

With innate grace he slid his free arm around her, positioning her slightly ahead of him, one hand on her waist, the other still holding her hand to his chest as he guided her toward the balcony door. She could feel his body close and warm behind her. When his head bent intimately toward hers, she instinctively tilted hers in response. He brushed her hand to his lips again as they walked.

It was as if they were in their own small world, she thought faintly. Nothing but he and the moment existed to her. Was it just imagination, she wondered wistfully, that he seemed as reluctant as she to disengage when they finally, quietly moved apart? Briefly they stared wordlessly at each other before Kakashi broke the silence.

"Well…" he found himself fighting to sound casual, "…perhaps that's enough for now. We want it to look spontaneous, not practiced." He hoped he didn't sound as self-conscious as he felt. As he regained composure, he glanced at a nearby clock, using calculations to distract himself.

"…Yes, I suppose," she glanced out the balcony door, brushing back her hair.

"I'll need time to find Sai. Plus time to prepare for tonight," he spoke half to himself, "If I pick you up here at 7pm, perhaps have a quick talk before leaving, we should reach the restaurant around the same time as Tenten and Ebisu. That gives us three and a half hours of preparation time." Sakura mentally added a half hour to his estimates to compensate for chronic tardiness.

"Do you…have any specific way you want me to look, Kakashi-Sensei?" she hesitantly asked.

"I'll leave that up to you, Sakura," his eye crinkled at her, "Just dress as you would for any date. I'm sure you'll look lovely." He glanced again at the clock, "I'd better go track down Sai."

"I'll see you later, then," she walked him the remaining few steps to the balcony door. As he vaulted to the next building, she was keenly aware of her regret for his leaving and her longing for his return. Quickly shaking herself, she recalled it was only an act, but still couldn't help one last look. With a sigh she turned away, half-heartedly performing a mental inventory of her closet and wondering if she'd need to take time for a quick shopping trip.

* * *

><p>As he landed on the roof next to Sakura's building, Kakashi caught himself looking back, watching as she moved back into the apartment. His eye lingered on her as he took stock of himself.<p>

He couldn't deny he'd felt drawn to her, fascinated as before by her honest reactions to him. A natural male reaction to a beautiful woman, he told himself. He blamed his recent dreams for the almost overwhelming desire for more.

Despite how she'd responded, it was unthinkable she was truly attracted to him. It was just a combination of her inexperience, her trust and perhaps his ego suggesting the possibility. He firmly told himself he'd never betray her confidence by overstepping the bounds of their friendship. Once Ino's challenge was dealt with, everything would go back to normal. It'd become a tale to laugh over.

He turned away, sprinting away over the rooftops. In the process, he also turned away from the faint whispering thought that said it was all just excuses, what he felt for her was rapidly shifting, from just friendship to something more…

* * *

><p>"Ok, this is a good spot," Hiro told the others. "Yasuo, Taijo, you look for the components we need. Osamo, help me figure out the best places to set chakra traps. Let's see how fast we can get it ready. Maybe we can spring it on her tonight, before dark, so we can see the results," his eyes glowed in anticipation as he grinned at them. Then a twig cracked, causing the boys to start and look warily behind to see Nanau walking up to them.<p>

"Hiro?" she asked, "I was wondering…I heard about what you're doing. It sounds like it's going to be really messy. So, I thought it might help with what I have planned. Can we talk? Like…go over timing and stuff? It'll only take a few minutes and if you want I'll even help out so you can set up faster."

Hiro blinked at her, and then glanced at his partners in crime, checking their reactions. They seemed as curious as he was.

"Alright," he told her, "We can talk but I reserve the right to say no if I think it'll interfere with our plans."

"It won't," she grinned at him, "It's more in the line of 'what you're doing will make her do what I want her to', sort of thing. That's why I want to make sure about the mess part. In fact, I think the messier she gets the better."

The boys, now totally intrigued, waited for her to explain…

* * *

><p>Sakura ran her hand through her short locks, sighing as she got ready to leave. She'd often wished for more hairstyle options but, with her busy schedule, long hair was just an added hassle. Curling would have to do, she decided, intently looking in a wall mirror. She drew the ends of her bangs back wondering if she should fasten them with something. She mentally added hair accessories to her list, before turning away.<p>

Shrugging her purse over her shoulder, she hurried out the balcony door, locking it behind her. Leaping to the next roof, she rushed toward the village shopping district. She had to be quick to get what she needed before the stores closed.

Her favourite store had a dress she loved but reluctantly passed on due to a combination of the price and no occasion to wear it. She considered it fate there was a two day sale on. If the mission had lasted longer, she'd have missed it.

Leaping from roof to roof, she wondered if she was going too far. She couldn't deny she had an ulterior motive. Yes, she needed to dress for her 'date' with Kakashi, to keep up the illusion of a love affair, but that wasn't all.

She knew it was only an act for him, he only saw her as a friend, but couldn't deny her feelings. She knew it was a fantasy. If it'd been real she'd be worrying about the risk to their friendship. But when she recalled how she felt when they practiced, how he effortlessly made her respond to him, she found herself wishing for the risk, for the reality.

Surely, she thought, it wouldn't hurt to dream just a bit if she was the only one who knew. So she was going to prepare for their act as if it were reality. She wanted him to see her at her best. To appreciate her as a beautiful, desirable woman, one he could see as a potential lover. She wanted to show how much she wanted him, even if she was the only one who'd know it…

* * *

><p>The knock on the door finally disrupted Sasuke's thoughts. He rubbed both hands over his eyes as he rose to answer, thankful for the interruption. His thoughts had been circling for hours. He needed to be jolted out of the rut. He opened the door to find Naruto. A wave of guilt washed over him as he realised he'd been so preoccupied by Ino's challenge and Sai that he'd let the situation with Naruto completely slip his mind.<p>

"Um, hi...I know you said you didn't feel like company," the blonde grinned tentatively at him, "But you seemed a little disturbed when you left Ichiraku's. I thought I'd drop by…just to see if you wanted to talk or something."

Sasuke sighed, opening the door wider, "Come on in." Naruto walked past him, down the hall, before silently turning to watch him close the door. Sasuke joined him and together they moved toward the living room.

"Do you want a drink…tea, coffee, something else?" Sasuke cursed how awkward it came out, blamed it on the sinking feeling in his stomach.

"I'll help you make tea?" Naruto clapped a hand on his shoulder, steering him toward the kitchen. As they quietly began preparations, Sasuke secretly observed his friend. He wondered when Hinata would come up in the coming conversation, and then decided it was better to get it over with.

"Did you and Hinata have a good talk after I left?" he asked, covertly watching the blonde's reaction as he put tea bags into a teapot. As Naruto's shoulders hunched uneasily, he continued, "She's usually so shy but you're always able to get people to talk to you. I thought she might be more sociable without me there." He got a couple of mugs from a cupboard, moved to place them on the table as they waited for the water to heat.

"Um…yeah…we had a long talk," the blonde rubbed his head, wondering how to bring up his coming date. He worried how Sasuke might react. Looking in another cupboard as he delayed, he found a few packages of cookies. He put them on the counter, and then moved to get a plate.

"I thought I heard a rumour about her confessing to you once? From Sakura," Sasuke silently apologized to Sakura for the lie as he leaned back against the kitchen counter. "I think she mentioned it was around the time Pain attacked the village?"

"Yeah, she did. Hinata put her life on the line to help me, knowing she wasn't a match for him. Pain hurt her, almost killed her," Naruto placed the plate on the counter. He began opening cookie packages as he remembered, dumping the contents on the plate before adding, "I was just starting to gain control of my Kyuubi mode at the time, so going into it tended to be dangerous. It usually needed an emotional goad, which Pain provided by hurting her right in front of me. We took the fight out of the village soon after, so Sakura was able to get to her in time to save her." He carried the plate to the table.

"So when did she tell you she cared about you?" Sasuke asked curiously, crossing his arms.

"Right there on the battlefield. Pain had me trapped. I couldn't move. Suddenly, there she was, blocking Pain from getting at me. And telling me she loved me before she attacked him," in his mind Naruto could hear her quiet voice, see her bravely facing off with a foe she knew would kill her…for him.

"I'm…just being selfish. I'm here of my own free will. I used to always cry and give up. I nearly went the wrong way. But you…you showed me the right way. I was always chasing you…wanting to overtake you. I just wanted to walk with you...to be with you. You changed me! Your smile saved me! So I'm not afraid to die protecting you! …Because I…love you."

Sasuke watching the emotions run over his friend's face, wondering what he was thinking as he listened quietly.

"It was the first confession I ever got from a girl," Naruto reflected, rubbing his cheek. "It felt wrong. Not Hinata's confession, or her feelings, but the fact she willingly almost died for me. Looking back, I think it scared me on a deep level. I dealt with it by going into a type of protective overdrive." He stared down at the plate of cookies, but Sasuke didn't think he saw it.

'It's just…for years I've driven myself to become strong to protect my precious people. I'd gladly put my life on the line to do it, and have. But it's hard at times, to deal with knowing those people are just as driven to protect, even die for you, too. Yet it's a fact of being a shinobi, of having precious people who're also shinobi. If you want others to respect and accept your desire to protect, to act on what you feel is right, you have to respect and accept theirs as well, even if they die doing it.

Accepting it…can be really hard. It's easy to fall into not accepting, of trying to do it all, of blaming it all on yourself, of trusting no one but yourself. It's a trap Itachi saved me from falling into during the war," he sighed, running his hand up over his hair, before meeting Sasuke's dark eyes with his own heartbreakingly honest blue. "I know the Will of Fire runs deep in Konoha's people but that doesn't make it easy to deal with at times."

Sasuke didn't know how to answer. He only knew there was an ache in his chest. He couldn't look away from those blue eyes. He wondered why it was suddenly so hard to breathe. The whistle of the kettle broke the silence that'd fallen. Thankfully, he moved to it, pouring the hot water into the waiting teapot.

"Um…why don't we take this outside, by the garden?" he quickly grabbed a tray to carry the teapot and plate while Naruto obligingly lifted the mugs he'd put on the table. Sasuke led the way, putting the tray down between them as they sat on the steps. They looked out over the peaceful setting, idly watching butterflies winging from plant to plant as they waited for the tea to steep.

"So," Sasuke finally ventured, "What happened when you got back to her about her confession?" Out of the corner of his eye he saw his friend wince.

"I…ah…sort of didn't. I went to see her…once. Some of her clan members said she was fine but wouldn't be available for a while. So I helped out rebuilding Konoha. Then the Kage summit came up and the mess with Danzo and Tobi."

Sasuke winced himself recalling the part he'd played. Now, looking out on his home in the village he'd once sworn to destroy, he couldn't believe the actions he'd taken. He'd disrupted the summit, injured and killed people, tried to kill Sakura, and then gone on to fight both Kakashi and Naruto. With the sole exception of killing Danzo, he'd regretted his actions many times.

"After that came the war," the blonde continued, "And the aftermath. You coming back," he poured tea into the mugs, handing one to Sasuke, "Getting back to Hinata…well…it never seemed to be the right time. Maybe I'm still dealing with the remnants of that protective overdrive thing," they sipped tea, as he tried to find the words to explain, "I mean…I don't have a problem with you or Kakashi protecting me, or any of the other guys, but…something just seems off when one of the girls does it. It feels backwards, like I'm supposed to be protecting them." Sasuke choked.

"Don't ever let Sakura hear you say that if you want to live," he advised. "No…not just Sakura…any Kunoichi we know in the village. Oh, hell, you know how fast gossip spreads here," he revised hastily, shuddering, "Any female old enough to be out of diapers and young enough to still be above ground. They'd instantly chase you down, and then parade your staked head around the village chanting slogans against sexism."

"Yeah," Naruto burst out laughing, "You don't have to tell me. I've seen girls rampage, remember. It gives you a healthy respect for the species. And I like my head where it is, thanks."

"I didn't get back to her, but," he sobered, "Hinata decided to get back to me about it…this morning…after you left." He glanced worriedly at his friend, trying to gauge his reaction. Sasuke carefully sipped his tea as he debated how to respond.

"That must've been an interesting talk," he finally said, "I can see why it'd be a long one. What did the two of you decide to do?"

"She asked me to have dinner with her tonight," Naruto's fingers played restlessly on the mug, "I accepted. It didn't feel right to say no."

"You're attracted to her," Sasuke stated simply, gazing into his cup, "You did say you usually pick girls over guys."

"I'm attracted to both of you," Naruto placed his hand on his shoulder, "But I already told you I was willing to take the chance if you are. If you want," he took a deep breath, "I'll tell Hinata tonight I'm seeing someone else."

"You'd choose me over her, just like that?" Sasuke tilted his cup, still gazing into it as he waited.

"I don't go back on my word," was the calm reply. "My offer to you came before Hinata and I spoke."

"Yet the situation with her has been unsettled for a long time," Sasuke took a sip, "It predates your offer to me."

"Um…yeah, there is that," Naruto sighed, removing his hand to run it through his hair again. "Either way, I suppose I'm going to hurt someone I care about. Life kicks you like that sometimes. Believe it! But it wouldn't be fair not to give you the option. Take your time and think about it. I'll go with what you decide."

Sasuke chose a cookie before rising to walk out into the garden. He could end his rivalry with Hinata here and now, he realised. Then, as he took a bite of cookie the faint sound of children laughing wafted over the garden wall and he found he needed a sip of tea to help get it passed the lump that suddenly formed in his throat.

Kids, he thought, remembering Hinata's surprising, playful teasing at Ichiraku's. It felt like days rather than hours ago. He'd always assumed he'd have children one day, to re-establish his clan. Yet now he knew why he'd never been attracted to girls. Did that mean his clan would end with him? Was he really the last Uchiha? He followed the thought to the next logical step.

If he and Naruto became a couple, what would that mean for Naruto? Sasuke'd had family, parents, a brother and other relatives, and lost them. Naruto'd had no one. He'd eventually made a family out of his friends after long, lonely years. If the outcome of this choice meant Naruto would lose the chance to make a family of his own, with a woman who loved him, to raise his own biological children, could Sasuke live with that? Could he deny Naruto that and still say he loved him?

And that was the crux, he recognized. What Hinata had seen in him when they'd talked. It was possible he loved Naruto.

No, he did love him, just wasn't sure if it went beyond their close bonds of friendship into something more. He couldn't deny part of him wanted Naruto all to himself. But while he could love Naruto, live for him, even die for him, he couldn't give him a child of his own. It was impossible.

Could he selfishly make him his lover knowing what he'd give up? Could love last under those circumstances? Or did he love him enough to sacrifice for him? Love him enough to just be his friend, to deny himself a greater role in his life, letting it go to another?

Did he love him enough to let him go?

He closed his eyes, listening to the happy laughter of kids playing on the street outside and silently despaired. He'd fought and conquered enemies of appalling power, yet it was nothing compared to the battle he fought now, against his own feelings and desires as he strove to make a choice. He was Sasuke Uchiha, renowned for his strength. Where was that strength now?

He listened to children's voices and heard Hinata's voice whisper among them. "Maybe, one day, your children and Naruto's will be team mates!

Unconsciously he rubbed at the ache in his chest. Wistfully he pictured a boy with Itachi's looks, a girl with his mother's eyes, her laugh, now knowing they were impossible. He was surprised how much that knowledge hurt. Then he pictured children with Naruto's traits, blue eyed, appallingly honest and horrifically hyperactive, surprised again by how much he wanted to see them become reality. He grinned wryly, pitying the jounin stuck with them.

And realised he wanted to be that jounin with every fibre of his being.

He opened his eyes, turning to see Naruto watching him; his impossibly blue eyes regarding him warmly even as the tautness of his fingers around his mug gave testament to his anxiety. Anxiety for him, Sasuke knew, feeling that lump in his throat again. He glanced away, taking another sip of his cooling tea to ease it.

Naruto, he thought, you'd be the kind of father every kid wants. To not give you that chance would be a crime. I want to see you become one. But it can't happen with me.

Sasuke knew he'd always have Naruto's love as a friend. Their bond was deep and unbreakable. If he had to lose to a romantic rival, at least he knew that rival loved him deeply, with all her heart.

How, he wondered, could a decision feel so right while hurting so much?

He listened as the voices faded, their games moving further down the street, taking a deep breath to strengthen his resolve before walking back to sit beside his friend. Carefully he put his mug and remains of cookie down on the tray. He ran his hands through his hair while taking another quick breath, then placed them, palms down on the porch on either side of him. He leaned forward for a second, then back as he turned to Naruto.

"I think Hinata has the patience of a saint for waiting on you so long. I would've kicked you to the curb long ago," he dryly told him. "Of course, any girl interested in you would need all the patience she could get, I suppose…baka," he smirked at him, ignoring the small ache inside.

"Yeah, I guess," Naruto shook his head with a rueful grin. He set his own mug down, unconsciously mimicking Sasuke's pose, hands on porch while he gazed back at him.

"Girls like that are pretty rare. You'd better take your chance while you can, before she wakes up and figures out how much trouble she's setting herself up for," he kept his eyes casually locked onto blue ones, forcing his body to relax, his voice to stay steady. "It might be your only one."

"Probably," the blonde agreed.

"So, I'd better make sure you take it. Her confession to you came before your offer to me, so it's not going back on your word. It's more like getting back to unfinished business,' he finally looked away, gazing over the garden. His next words froze unsaid as a hand came down on his. Involuntarily his eyes shot to it, then back up to Naruto's.

Naruto felt that hand's tension under his, had seen how whitely it'd gripped the porch beneath it before placing his over it. He silently searched dark eyes before quietly asking, "Is that how you really feel, Sasuke?"

For a brief time the question hung, humming in the silence between them, while dark eyes locked with blue. Finally, Sasuke sighed, breaking their gaze to look out over the garden again, trying to find the words. His lips started to move several times, false starts, before speaking frankly.

"Hinata knows how she feels about you. I'm still trying to figure it out. I'm still trying to figure me out. She can give you…things, a type of life you'd never be able to have with me," he stopped as the hand lightly squeezed his.

"Do you think, if we were in love that I'd regret living any other life than with you?" he heard and his lips quirked sadly in response.

"But I can't know that until it happens and neither can you. Just as you don't know if Hinata could make you happier than I ever could unless you give her the chance. You're attracted to both of us, you said, but you're usually more attracted to girls," he watched a blue butterfly drifting on the breeze.

"It's the person," Naruto's voice was soft, "Not the gender." Sasuke slowly shook his head.

"Then that would apply just as much to Hinata as to me," his eyes followed the insect. It was the same blue as Naruto's eyes.

"And there's also this," he switched his gaze back to those eyes, "If a relationship between you and Hinata works, chances are it wouldn't for us. If the two of you can't make it work, I'll still be here. Maybe by then I'll have it all figured out. Don't get me wrong, though," he smirked gamely, "I'm not like Hinata. I'm not going to wait around for you. Who knows, if I'm not in a relationship myself, I might catch you on the rebound."

"Yeah, that could happen," Naruto grinned softly back.

"So, you'd better promise to give Hinata you're best shot. No holding back. That way, if it fails you'll have no regrets. You'll be sure it's over before I need to decide if it's worth my while to catch you," his smirk widened.

"I promise, no holding back. And Sasuke?" he leaned forward. Their lips met, Naruto's warm on his as he kissed him softly, holding it for a time before leaning back to say simply, "Thank you."

"Yeah," he coughed self-consciously, as the phantom sensation of warmth faded from his lips, "Well, what are friends for?" he gently dislodged Naruto's hand to check the teapot, finding it still warm from the sun. He topped up their mugs, handing Naruto's back to him before reaching for a cookie.

"Also," he continued watching the blonde sip, "You're not getting off free. When you marry her, I get to name your first born." He grinned as Naruto paled, choking on his tea.

"What the hell, Teme! We haven't even dated yet!" the blonde coughed, "Don't marry me off so fast! Besides," he grabbed a cookie, biting into it quickly before continuing, "You can't be sure she'd agree to that. Or if she'd want to marry me at all."

Sasuke, confident in Hinata, smirked as he ate his own cookie. She'd probably have the Dobe wrapped around her little finger before he knew what hit him. It'd be fun to watch. Then his mind turned to his quiet, brilliant brother, thought of naming a loud, energetic idiot – with a Byakugan - after him. The majority of the clan might spin in their graves, he thought, but somewhere in the afterlife Itachi would laugh.

"One word," he replied, "Prenup. If she wants to marry you, she'll have to agree. So," he chased the last bite of cookie down with tea before choosing another, "Where's Hinata taking you to dinner?"

* * *

><p>Iruka's patrol was finishing a trap setting lesson when, from clear across the lake, a strident scream sounded. Startled, the curious group looked toward their camp, listening to the rising, falling rhythmic sound that followed. It sounded like a voice chanting too far away to make out words.<p>

Iruka winced as his more experienced ear recognised the sound of someone cursing at the top of their lungs. Apparently his kids were learning far more than mission procedure. Some of them, he knew, would take to those lessons far too well.

"Let's clean up here," he called his patrol back to business, "I don't want to see any trace we've been here when we leave."

As the kids scurried to obey, he glanced briefly across the lake before turning to help. He had a feeling he was needed back in camp. If only, he grinned to himself, to find and congratulate whoever had gotten so badly under Ino's skin!

* * *

><p>AN: So, what did you think? Please review! We're looking forward to reading them! ^_^


	13. Just Another Eventful Day in Konoha Pt2

A/N: Before I sit back and let Tazicat12 take over, I want to thank all the lovely people who reviewed the last chapter. Your feedback is very much important to us, so please continue to shower us with your appreciation and brighten our day.

Hi, I'm Tazicat12.

I'd like to apologise for this chapter taking so long. I can only say life tends to interfere when you least want or expect it to. I've tried using a very large hammer to beat it into submission (or at least into a shape more conducive to writing) but haven't enjoyed much luck. I can only assure you Pan and I will be finishing this story, so bear with us.

Also, when the page total of this story reaches 250; I'm officially calling it a book. As it is, this chapter alone runs 56 and a half pages with the font size I use (Tahoma, size 9), so I'll probably reach it in the next chapter or two,

Anyway, welcome to date night in Konoha. Fasten your seat belts; it's going to be an interesting ride.

Unfortunately all rights to Konoha and its citizens belong, as always, to Kishi. It'd be a vastly more interesting place if it was mine but I'm limited to rare visits to traumatise the natives. If, however, this changes and living in Konoha becomes a future option, I'll be moving there to take up a lasting, passionate three-way relationship with Kakashi and Iruka.

That's right. I'm calling dibs on both of them. Deal with it.

* * *

><p><strong>Seven Days of Seduction – Chapter 12 – Just Another Eventful Day in Konoha Pt. 2<strong>

_Pursuit and seduction are the essence of sexuality. It's part of the sizzle…_

Tenten brushed her hair as she waited for the curling iron to heat. Released from her usual twin buns and freshly washed, it hit the middle of her back. She ran her hand through it, wrinkling her nose, briefly wishing for Ino's blonde tresses or Hinata's exotic purple tinted black. Heck, she'd be happy with Sakura's striking pink rather than being a boring brunette. She sighed. At times, when with her friends, she felt like a plain brown sparrow among exotic birds.

But on missions, she reminded herself, she was the one with the advantage. She blended in, could be disguised much easier, with far less help from transformation jutsus. And the less chakra an enemy could sense the better chance for survival. She supposed if she had to choose she'd go for that advantage, given she had to be alive to date.

She tested the curling iron, glancing in the mirror as she debated which would look better, loose curls or ringlets. She wanted a style with more bounce and movement than the loose waves she had when she let her hair out of her buns. Something, she grinned, that would make Ebisu's jaw drop.

Ringlets, she decided, with a glance at her waiting dress. A few loosely framing her face, the rest pulled back to cascade down her back. That and the criss-crossing straps also running down the back, she grinned, should nicely draw Ebisu's eyes down toward her butt every time she turned around.

* * *

><p>Kakashi tracked down Sai near the Hyuuga compound. The ex-ROOT agent glanced up as he moved noiselessly toward him, nodding a welcome before returning to his observation. Joining him, Kakashi looked carefully himself, noting, to his approval, the position overlooked the main branch's private quarters. His eyes briefly followed various clan members, recognising several, including Hinata, before turning to Sai.<p>

"I touched base with Yamato when I returned this morning. I understand Tenten has a date with Ebisu tonight?" he eased down into a comfortable crouch.

"Yes. It promises to be…interesting. Ebisu's reactions to her are quite educational," Sai's gaze never left his target.

"According to my source it'll take place at the Golden Katana. Is this a certainty?" Kakashi watched as the ANBU's head tilted in consideration.

"It seems to be the proposed venue, but," his eyes met Kakashi's in a quick glance, "Plans have been known to change, especially in social settings. I take it you wish to know if they do."

"Yes."

"I'm conjecturing this has to do with Sakura's part in the Kunoichi game?" Sai's curious glance was longer this time. "Yamato mentioned you two were conspiring to fool Ino."

"Let's just say our debut will be for credible witnesses," he rubbed a hand over his hair, "Ino will be a tougher sell, so tonight will be part trial run, part set up. It'll give us an idea of what we need to refine while helping convince Ino it's real. If she hears it from several sources, she'll be less likely to dismiss it."

"Ah, I see," Sai was intrigued, "Tenten will be able to give first hand testimony to Ino."

"And the grapevine will spread it over half of Konoha before she returns," his eye twinkled up at the interested ANBU. "I wouldn't be surprised if she hears several accounts between the gate and the village."

Sai gave a short understanding nod, impressed by the meticulous plan. He could see how the Jounin had amassed such a renowned reputation, both in ANBU and out.

"Oh…Sakura wanted to know how Hinata is doing," Kakashi said, expanding, "She went to meet Naruto after leaving Ino's. Sakura was concerned about her and wondered how it went."

"Yes, they met at Ichiraku's," Sai replied, "The Hyuuga was…surprising. At first glance she seems very mild but is capable of being quite formidable."

"Really?" now Kakashi blinked in interest, "That's an interesting appraisal. She must've impressed you. What happened?"

"She seemed quite withdrawn walking to the ramen stall," his eyes still on target, he pulled a sketchpad from his pouch, handing it to the Jounin, "I had my doubts about her, especially when she spent several minutes observing Naruto and Sasuke from a distance. I was beginning to think she'd back away when suddenly she…changed."

"Changed?" Kakashi flipped the pad open, leafing through sketches.

"Yes, like she was a different person, still quiet," Sai's brows rose slightly in memory, "Yet most definitely determined. Once at the stall, she requested a private talk with Sasuke."

"With…Sasuke?" amazed, Kakashi's brow rose, "A…fascinating development." He examined a sketch. In it an alarmed Sasuke seemed to be hiding behind Naruto.

"Yes. He was reluctant at first, believing, I assume, she was going to confess feelings for him. This confused her at first, then must have amused her, for she turned it against him by…teasing him," he turned his head slightly so he could see the Jounin's reaction in his periphery vision.

"She teased him?" Kakashi stared at a picture where the 'shy' Hyuuga laughed at an astonished Sasuke while Ayame giggled in the background and a mildly interested Naruto, mouth full of ramen, looked on.

"And laughed at his reaction," his head tilted in memory, "But it did achieve a purpose. He agreed to talk to her. They moved to a nearby alleyway to do so."

"That must've been an interesting conversation," Kakashi remarked, turning through sketches.

"It was, though I'm not sure if it qualifies as 'conversation'. She did the talking while Sasuke listened. She explained her attraction to Naruto and acknowledged they were rivals. She was very impressive, quietly dignified and composed. I believe Sasuke was quite daunted," he watched the Jounin's brow rise as he examined the sketch of the two leaving the alleyway.

"And stunned," Kakashi's eye merrily assessed Sasuke's face for a few seconds longer before shutting the book. "And what happened afterwards?"

"They returned to the stall for a time. Then Sasuke left to converse with the new arrivals," he gave the compound an assessing look, then turn to crouch as well. "That conversation was quite fascinating as well."

"Really…?" Kakashi glanced upward, estimating the time, "I'll have to hear about it later. I need time to prepare for tonight myself. What happened to Hinata and Naruto after that?" He handed the sketchbook back to Sai.

"They were still at the ramen stand when I left," He put the book back into his pouch, "I thought it best to report events to Yamato. Hinata's plan was to invite Naruto to walk with her and I presume to talk. From her activities," he tilted his head toward the compound, "I take it she had some success. She seems happy, yet also quite anxious and appears to be readying herself for a date. Will this be enough to alleviate Sakura's concerns?"

"Yes, it will. Thank you, Sai," he rose, careful to keep from exposing himself, "I'll be home for awhile, then I'll be moving to Sakura's. I'll presume our destination is the Golden Katana unless you get in contact. I'll also have the pack keep watch for you. They always know how to find me quickly. Will this suffice?"

"Yes, Hatake-san," Sai watched the Jounin leave, and then moved back to his post. The day, he mused, seemed to be filled with unexpected surprises. Now he not only had Tenten's date to look forward to but Kakashi and Sakura's performance as well.

He watched Hinata, in a robe, her hair wrapped in a towel, rush toward her rooms in the Hyuuga compound. Now, he mused idly, if only she conveniently chose the Golden Katana as well, his evening would be ideal. He'd have two of his targets in one place and the prospect of a very entertaining evening. It'd only lack Sasuke showing up with his mysterious target for it to be complete.

* * *

><p>Hinata hurried into her room, her mind racing in several different directions at once. She was nervous, frantically determined to get everything right for her big date with Naruto. It didn't help that several of her relatives were staring at her as if her sanity was in question. She was starting to question it herself.<p>

She forced herself to stop, take a deep breath and let her mind slow. One step at a time, she told herself. With reverent care she went to her closet to draw out the dress - the one she wanted Naruto to see her in so badly. She hung it on the edge of her dressing screen, opening the garment bag to smile at it. She ran her hand over the white design around the waist before walking away. She began vigorously drying her hair with the towel wrapped around it. Pausing in front of her full length mirror, she tossed the towel on a chair as she ran her hand through her tresses while considering.

She'd put her underwear on before drying her hair further, she decided, and then do her nails. She perused her choices, picking out a set in pale lavender. Laying it on her bed, she undid the sash on her robe. Just as the robe slide down her shoulders to pool around her feet, the door to her room slammed open.

"What's up with you?" Hanabi crossly snapped, charging into the room, chased by Neji, "All everyone's talking about is how you're acting weird." Hinata, totally naked, gave a startled shriek as she desperately sprang for the safe haven of her dressing screen. Neji swore, quickly turned his back to his cousin with a blush.

"Sorry, I'm sorry, Hinata," he called, rigidly staring at the door, "I was trying to stop her." His eyes widened helplessly as his uncle walked through the door to join them.

"Is this a family conference I wasn't invited to?" Hiashi's interested eyes landing on each of them in turn, "Or is Hanabi being ill-mannered again?"

"Very ill-mannered," Neji's quiet remark almost went unheard under his younger cousin's loud defensive protest of, "I just wanted to know why she's acting so weird." Hinata, hyperventilating, was too distracted to comment.

"Hanabi, your curiosity isn't an excuse for bad manners," the elder Hyuuga rebuked, "You barged into your sister's room without permission, I think it's best if you leave." His gaze grew stern as his youngest daughter clearly began to sulk, "Now please, not later, unless of course you want extra practice or chores to do?" With a surrendering sigh, she reluctantly moved to obey. Her father watched her out the door before turning back to the remaining two. He shared a commiserating look with his nephew before turning to his eldest daughter.

"Is there a reason for your…unusual behaviour, Hinata?" he gently inquired, "A problem you need help with, perhaps?" His gaze took in the underwear on the bed, the unfamiliar dress in its garment bag, his brow creasing as he added up the clues.

She was at that age, wasn't she, he sighed. He remembered her birth, the first time he'd seen her, held her, how she'd stolen his heart at first sight, his first and eldest. He deeply regretted the way he'd dismissed her as a child, thinking her unworthy to lead the clan. It was only in the last few years he'd come to appreciate the depth of her quiet courage and spirit. But now, just as he'd rediscovered her, she was naturally turning away to live her own life. It hurt to know he'd wasted years and could only blame himself.

"Then again," he smiled, "I surmise the true cause is more…positive than negative. Do I know the young man?" Neji shot him a startled look, then one over his shoulder at the blushing Hinata. Hanabi's head suddenly reappeared around the door.

"You've got a date…an actual date? With whom?" she loudly bombarded her sister with excited questions. "Do I know him? Is he cute? Is he a powerful shinobi? Is that the dress you're wearing? Wow, is that new? It's pretty! Are you going to put your hair up? Can I help? What sort of make up…"

"Hanabi," Hiashi's stern voice provoked a startled 'eep' from his youngest daughter, "I thought I told you to leave?"

"Um…" she stood at attention beyond the doorway, "Actually…you told me to leave the room, Father. And I am…outside the room…so…" she nervously fingering the hem of her shirt, "I'm really not disobeying you…" She looked hopefully at her father, "…and I really want to know who Hinata's date is?"

Hiashi sighed, rubbing his forehead in parental frustration. If she wasn't chosen to succeed him, he mused; his youngest had a fine future career as an elder, for the clan or even the village council. She already had the stubbornness and the ability to argue fine details down pat.

"I think we all should leave and give your sister some privacy to prepare for her date with…" he turned to look with polite enquiry at Hinata. Hanabi and Neji also gazed at her, her sister with open curiosity, her cousin over his shoulder with a faint, concerned frown. Still trapped behind the screen, Hinata sighed in resignation, realising they weren't going to leave until she told them. She gathered the last shreds of her dignity, taking a deep breath.

"I…I'm going on a dinner date tonight. With Naruto Uzumaki," she told them. Neji's eyes widened as he gave her a surprised smile. Hanabi looked like she couldn't decide whether the news was good or bad. Hiashi smiled, giving the dress another speculating look. He wouldn't be a good clan leader if he didn't know a great deal about its members. He'd discovered her feelings for the Jinchuuriki a while back and it gladdened him to see her following her dream of a relationship with him. He resolved to deal with any clan opposition as quietly as possible, before it reached her.

"You'll look beautiful in that dress. I hope Naruto appreciates it…and you," he turned, signalling Neji to precede him, "I hope you have a pleasant evening, Hinata. Now, Hanabi," he guided his youngest away down the hall, ignoring her glances back toward her sister's room, "You can come with me for a practice session. Perhaps, if he'd not busy, Neji will join us? I believe refining your technique with us will keep you busy and out of trouble for a while.

* * *

><p>Sasuke dried his supper dishes as he considered things.<p>

He still felt a sense of loss from conceding to Hinata but knew it was the right decision. He realised he'd probably feel a pang or two seeing them together, at least for a while. The time he'd spent with Naruto had helped. It was reassuring to know he wasn't losing his friend.

He grinned again, remembering the 'penalty' he'd proposed for yielding. Before the blonde managed to escape he'd come perilously close to talking him into agreeing. It still tickled him to think of one of Naruto's children with Itachi's name. And that one day he might be that child's Jounin-Sensei.

Now he just had Ino's challenge and Sai to deal with. He shook his head; wryly remembering when his only worry was acclimatizing to being gay. Now it seemed his life was full of unusual situations. He was scrambling to adjust. Firmly he turned his mind back to business.

He'd managed to casually glean some intell from Naruto without revealing his interest in Sai. Regrettably the blonde's knowledge was out of date, partially due to his target being ANBU. Sasuke knew he'd been in the hospital as recently as their last mission. It was the reason they'd been guided by an ink clone instead of Sai himself. His whereabouts since his release, beyond him being 'somewhere in the village', was presently unknown.

He debated his options. Sakura'd been his medic, but he doubted she'd know much more than Naruto. Kakashi would be able to find out his whereabouts but would be curious to know why. Sasuke shuddered just thinking what he might do to find out. This left Yamato as being his best bet. He also had a link to Team Seven, was ANBU and was usually teamed with Sai. But while he'd be less difficult to deal with than Kakashi, he was sharper than Naruto. Sasuke'd have to be careful about asking for information.

He ran through possible excuses for wanting it as he put his dishes away, deciding his best choice was to claim details were needed about their last mission. Though Sai'd sent an ink clone, he'd have gotten its memories after it dissipated giving validity to the claim. For a moment Sasuke hesitated, than resolutely moved to his phone. The sooner he had the information, the sooner he could contact Sai, be rejected and get Ino's stupid damn challenge over with.

* * *

><p>Mind racing, Yamato put down his phone, reclaiming the tea mug, but not the book, he'd set aside to answer it. Could it be, he wondered. Was Sasuke's mysterious target, the person Sai was so determined to learn the identity of…Sai himself? He grinned, relaxing in his chair, considering the possibility as he sipped.<p>

He mulled it over, taking time to see it from several angles as only an ANBU captain could. He thought carefully about the personalities of the two young men involved, hypothesizing their possible actions and reactions. He added Sai's current activities into the mix, debating both how it would be affected as well as its effect on Sasuke and Sai. He found himself chuckling several times during the process.

Should he tell Sai? He considered the question as he rose to get more tea. No, he decided, he'd let Sai find out for himself. It'd be much more interesting that way. Of one thing he was certain. He was truly looking forward to hearing Sai's report on the matter.

* * *

><p>As he waited by the training ground entry, Ebisu idly thought of his latest book acquisition. Icha Icha Seduction was living up to his expectation, a true Jiraiya classic. He frowned slightly, hoping he'd placed it back in his nightstand's secret compartment with the rest of the series. Fastidiously he picked a speck of lint from his sleeve. It was a long shot Tenten would decide to come back to his place but if she did he didn't want to give her the wrong impression. A man of his talents, he mused, needed to have the best of reputations, otherwise who'd trust him to tutor their children?<p>

"Ebisu-Sensei?" a soft, feminine voice called from behind him. He turned and then stood gaping at the vision walking toward him. She was flawless, he thought faintly as he took in the details.

The plum dress clung like a second skin, the interesting knotted design catching the eye. Her slender legs made the flared skirt swirl enticingly. Her hair, aside from a few ringlets framing her face, was held back in a jewelled band. It bounced fascinatingly with her movements. Delicate toes and fingers showing perfectly matching pedi- and manicures peeked from high heels, held an evening bag, pulled a lace shawl more firmly around her. Her makeup was impeccable, enhancing her features while seeming minimal. Her eyes sparkled as she approached, her lipstick faintly shimmering as she smiled at him.

Beautiful, was his only coherent thought. He was mesmerized.

Tenten enjoyed Ebisu's blatant admiration. Stopping in front of him, she carefully reached up, using a gentle finger under his chin to push his mouth closed. It broke the spell.

"Tenten," he coughed self consciously, "It's so good to see all…um," his eyes helplessly roamed over her, "…to see you."

"Have I been keeping you waiting?" she smiled radiantly.

"N-no, not at all," he stammered, "Even if you had, I must say, it'd…definitely be worth the wait. You look…look…" no word was adequate, so he settled for, "Incredible."

"Why, thank you," she demurely looked down, then back up again, "I think you look incredible too, Ebisu-Sensei." She ran her eyes over him, admiring how the dark dress pants and pale shirt clung to him under a navy blazer. He swore he could feel the path of her gaze and held back a shiver as he forced his mind back to the niceties.

"Where would you like to go for drinks?" he pushed his sunglasses back on his nose, using the familiar gesture to summon his poise.

"Would the Golden Katana be agreeable to you, Ebisu-Sensei?" she tilted her head, her ringlets shifting enticingly. He had the sudden desire to run a hand through them.

"Y-yes…yes it would," he fought the urge. "Shall we go?" he gestured for her to precede him. With another smile, she turned and started walking. Ebisu stood rooted to the spot, his eyes helplessly following a cascade of ringlets to crisscrossing straps and down to where swinging hips accented a perfect bottom. Behind his sunglasses his eyes followed its tempo. Gulping, he nearly swallowed his tongue along with the sudden flood of saliva. Ahead of him, Tenten paused to look back, disrupting the entrancing rhythm.

"Are you coming, Ebisu-Sensei?" she called.

"Y-yes…of course," he hurried to join her, offering his arm. She demurely looked through her lashes at him as she took it. Together they left the training ground, heading back into the village.

* * *

><p>In a tree nearby, Sai's attention was drawn away by a gruff "Yo" from a branch slightly above him. Startled, his hand on a kunai, he looked up, finding Pakkun casually sitting there, looking back.<p>

"No need for that," the small pug glanced at the kunai, "I'm just here to make sure the Boss gets the restaurant right."

"My apologies," Sai gazed inquisitively at him as he removed his hand, "It's rare for someone to be able to sneak up on me. It usually takes ANBU level ability."

"Then your rep's safe," the pug snorted humorously, "Me and the rest of the pack were ANBU right along with Kakashi."

"Ah, of course," he nodded understanding, "Again…my apologies, I should've realised."

"Yeah, well, back to business," Pakkun looked past him at the disappearing couple, "So, the Golden Katana's a go?"

"Yes, it shouldn't take them long to reach it," Sai's gaze returned to them also, "Will Kakashi-san and Sakura be joining them there soon?" Again he heard the pug's humorous snort.

"You know the Boss. He'd be late to his own funeral. Well," the small ninken stretched before calmly walking down the tree, "The sooner I get this to him, the sooner I can get him out the door to pick up Sakura. They'll get there eventually. You going too?"

"Of course," Sai joined him in his descent, "The evening is promising to be quite interesting."

* * *

><p>No, Hiashi told himself, he wasn't hiding in one of the tall, flowering bushes in his own courtyard so he could secretly watch Hinata and her date. He just happened to be inspecting the blooms when Naruto arrived. It was just coincidence the best ones were in a spot that obscured him from observers. And if that spot also afforded him the opportunity to discretely observe the visitor and any clan members in the vicinity, it was just chance.<p>

He noted one elder's disapproving frown at the nervously pacing visitor before turning his full attention to Naruto himself. The boy was definitely his parents' child, Hiashi mused. Nostalgically he recalled Kushina and Minato. Their son physically resembled his father, but exhibited much of his mother's energy and personality. It was good to see so much of them had survived in their only child.

Distracted, he almost missed the small figure edging stealthily through the foliage toward Naruto. His hand shot out, intercepting his youngest before she could accost their visitor.

"Hanabi," he inquired quietly, "Didn't I leave you meditating?"

"Um…I…finished early…?" she tentatively replied. He raised a parental brow. She gave a frustrated sigh, blurting a bit loudly, "I know Naruto's strong, but isn't he also sort of a doofus? Are you…" Hiashi firmly shushed her, "…Are you sure it's all right for Hinata to go with him?" she leaned close, intensely whispering in a scandalized tone, "Don't you know about the pervy contest he's got going with Konohamaru?"

Hiashi sighed. Of course he knew about the boys' ongoing Sexy no Jutsu contest. They were in the habit of carrying it out on busy streets in view of all. The village adults' attitude toward it was the same as toward Kakashi and Gai's rivalry challenges: They were hilarious to see or gossip about, but not the sort of behaviour you condone in front of the children.

He was loath to explain this to his youngest child though. The difficulty lay in the fact there were far more dangerous alternatives existing to shinobi. A little perverse nudity and weird challenges were innocent and healthy compared to the darkness one could fall prey to. Unfortunately, eventually Hanabi would learn of, and Hiashi prayed, resist falling into that darkness herself. As a parent, he naturally wished to protect her for as long as possible. Briefly, the two fell silent as he struggled with his response and she waited for his answer.

Then the sound of rustling in the undergrowth saved him, distracting them both with the awareness of a third presence easing furtively past them. Father and daughter cautiously peered though the shrubbery to find Neji peeking at the pacing Naruto. His bush was getting a bit crowded, Hiashi mused, clearing his throat. Neji started guiltily.

"Have you come to see Hinata off on her date?" his eyes twinkled at his mortified nephew, "Or just indulging an interest in horticulture?" Hanabi snorted at them, caught between amusement and annoyance. As Neji began to stammer an explanation, she glanced toward the house in time to see Hinata appear. Her awed gasp instantly drew her two companions' attention. From their leafy haven the trio mutely watched her approach.

Hiashi's eyes misted as he watched his eldest daughter walk toward her date, his throat tightening and his heart feeling like it would burst with pride. She looked so much like her mother had at that age, he thought. Hinata was a credit, no, a glory to her family and clan, a truly beautiful young woman. As much as his father's heart wished to deny it, his little girl had grown up.

He'd been right; the dress was beautiful on her. The colour was perfect, the white design frankly accentuating her feminine curves. Her hair, held back with tasteful combs, fell in a sleek dark river down her back. A white shawl graced her lovely shoulders, a matching evening bag held in slender hands. The undemanding beaded design on them shimmered, as did the simple iridescent white on her finger and toe nails. Her make up was perfect, accentuating her eyes, the curve of her lips. He recognised her elegant jewellery as a set her mother had worn when they were dating, passed down in turn. It brought back so many treasured memories.

Proudly he turned toward the Uzumaki, mentally daring him to find fault with his beautiful daughter, just as the young man circled from his pacing and caught sight of her. Naruto froze, forgetting to breathe after an initial gasp, his honest blue eyes widening in appreciative awe. As well he should, Hiashi thought in grudging approval. Hinata lightly blushed at her date's reaction as she walked the final few paces to stop in front of him.

"Hello, Naruto," her quiet voice reached the three hidden in the bush, "Are you all right?" The blonde, jarred out of his motionless state, blinked, faintly gasping for breath as he blushed as well.

"Um…yeah," he stammered breathlessly, "Hinata…you look…wow! Your hair…and that dress….you just… WOW! Believe it!" His frankly admiring gaze locked on her as he ran his hair through his hair.

Hinata's answering smile was radiant. Her blush deepened prettily as she demurely glanced away, by chance toward the bush. The trio hidden there instinctively shrunk back, inadvertently rustling the foliage. As the oblivious Naruto continued to gaze at her, Hinata shot a brief suspicious glance toward the sound. Deciding she didn't want to know, she turned back to her date.

"Shall we go?" she softly inquired. He shyly offered his arm with a smile. Then, eyes still locked on her, he led her toward the courtyard door, where Hinata barely managed to save him from walking into it as they passed by through to the street beyond. She glanced once back toward the bush before they disappeared from sight.

"See," Hanabi, first out of the bush, brushed her clothes as she grumbled to the others, "What did I tell you? He's a total doofus. I don't know what she sees in him."

"You wouldn't," Neji joined her, pulling a small bloom out of a fold in his tunic, "Not that your opinion matters. It's your sister's choice, not yours. You should be happy for her. I thought it went quite well. Hinata was beautiful and Naruto was obviously smitten with her. They were…" his brow creased as he searched for the right word, "Rather…sweet together."

"Sweet?" she scoffed, turning to her father as he exited the bush, "Father, you can't really…" she paused, her mouth gaping, "F-Father, are you…crying?"

* * *

><p>"You're late," the small pug looked reproachfully up at Kakashi, as they raced across the rooftops, "If I were her, I'd bite your balls off." The Jounin smirked under his mask.<p>

"Then I'm lucky she's not a dog," he replied. He could see the roof of Sakura's building up ahead. He shifted the rose bouquet he'd bought from the Yamanaka flower shop more comfortably in the crook of his arm.

"Still, it's a lousy way to impress your future mate," the small dog groused, "It reflects badly on you as the pack Alpha male. How do you expect her to take it seriously if you don't?" Pakkun followed suit as Kakashi quickly slowed to a stop. The Jounin glanced at Sakura's apartment before turning to his dog.

"I told you before, Pakkun," he glared at the ninken, "I'm not courting Sakura. We're just putting on an act to fool Ino. We're not serious." He turned to leave, "Its best if you go home. I don't want you bothering Sakura with this." He leapt from the building.

The small dog watched him land on Sakura's balcony before racing off. Once out of sight, he stealthily circled to a different building nearby and downwind. The Boss hadn't told him to go immediately, he reasoned, and the pack would want to know how it went. He'd just wait a bit. Ears perked, nose quivering, he focused intently on Sakura's.

Kakashi glanced behind as he landed on the balcony, heaving a relieved sigh as he watched Pakkun move off. He loved his dogs, but pack mentality had its disadvantages. Blunt honesty and an amazing degree of involvement in each other's lives was perfectly normal behaviour to them. Therefore they freely offered support, opinions and advice on any subject regardless of their surroundings or the consequences. This tended to be irritating and/or potentially embarrassing to their only human pack member.

Take their latest obsession with making Sakura his mate. They wouldn't consider it inappropriate or embarrassing to actively campaign on his behalf by telling her about his recent dreams. Kakashi couldn't quite suppress a shudder as he considered the potential results of that. No, he decided, it was best if he kept them far away from her for now. A light breeze played with his hair as he walked to the door, shifting the bouquet to knock.

"It's unlocked," Sakura's voice called, "Come in." He complied, stepping through the door, roses in front of him as his eyes automatically found her.

"Ready, Sak…u…ra…?" his voice died away as he froze in the open doorway. The breeze blew past him, lightly swirling around the woman in front of him, ruffling clothing and hair, before drifting back past him out the balcony door and downwind to the small ninken.

"Not serious…riiight," Pakkun snorted scornfully, "And I'm a wolfhound in disguise. Who're you trying to fool, Boss? The last time I smelled anyone that hot and bothered it was a gang of teenage boys during a girls' volleyball tournament at a nudist colony." And wasn't that a mission he'd love to forget, he growled softly, shuddering. He'd been severely tempted, and well positioned, to bite Kakashi's balls off himself, while spending most of it as an impromptu loin cloth. The diminutive pug never wanted to be that close to the Boss' exposed genitalia ever again. He still got the occasional nightmare.

Unfortunately, long study of the frustrating human species had taught the wise little ninken that, unlike canines, they had the ability to fool themselves. Despite his pack's good influence, Kakashi was no exception. Pakkun hoped his Alpha realised the danger before he messed up with Sakura. He decided to keep a cautious eye on them. Judging by the scent, Kakashi'd be too distracted to notice. He'd be safe enough until the restaurant. Then he'd report to the pack.

Time stopped. Kakashi stared, tongue-tied and entranced, taking in the details.

The simple red silk dress hugged Sakura's curves like a lover, its neckline dipping tantalizingly between breasts. Iridescent pale pink toes peeked from red high heels, while matching finger nails played fretfully with an evening bag. Her curled hair was drawn back with white enamelled combs. The pinks and greens of the elegant cherry blossoms on them, the same blossoms tastefully decorating the simple white silk shawl and evening bag, emphasized the colours of her hair and eyes. Subtle makeup refined her features, made her eyes seem bigger. There was an enticing shimmer on her lips. The breeze carried an exotic mix of a light floral scent with her personal musk.

"Kakashi?"

He felt dazed and divided, like he'd been hit with a very large brick then tossed into a chaotic tug of war, torn between two opposing sides, his good intentions and his raging desires. He knew he was in trouble. All he could do was stand frozen as this internal war was waged, his mind raging with wildly conflicting, confusing feelings and thoughts.

Desire, hot and primitive, growled, tempting him with wild, lustful memories of his recent dreams. It demanded he indulge its need to tear off that dress, run hands over those curves, through that hair. To do things to those fascinating, shimmering pink digits and lips and have them do things to him in return. Another light breeze danced past him, bringing another heady whiff of her scent. Its coolness made him aware of his own heat, how it rolled through him, balled in his belly and groin, heated his stare and made his mouth dry. He struggled for breath.

Good intention fought valiantly against desire. It counselled self control, to pull it together before he alarmed Sakura. It said he shouldn't feel this way about his former student, team mate and friend. She wouldn't understand, it whispered, didn't feel that way about him. It wasn't fair to her. It was only their recent experiences together, his dreams making him susceptible. If he lost control, gave in to desire, she'd never forgive him. This provoked an icy shiver up his spine, made shoulder muscles tense with the fear of losing her.

"Kakashi-Sensei?"

'Little Kakashi' wasn't helping matters. It clearly wanted to indulge. His crotch was feeling conspicuously tight. Victim of his third (fourth?) poorly timed erection in less than 24 hours; Kakashi felt an insane need to giggle. He tensed, horrified Sakura would notice before realising the hand holding the bouquet had dropped, effectively hiding his uncomfortably misbehaving body part from sight.

"Are you all right? Is…something wrong with my appearance?" anxiously Sakura glanced down at herself, the concern in her voice called him to action. He drew a deep breath, invoked ANBU discipline and then hurried to reassure her, editing his words carefully from the confusion inside him.

"You look…" totally edible and I'm starving, "…beautiful, Sakura." His mouth watered. "I had to take a moment to…" lust after you, "…admire you, that's all." He quickly turned away to close the door, hoping it'd give him time to calm down. Any illusion it was working shattered when he turned back. Blinking, he feverishly calculated his chances of getting through the next few minutes - he refused to speculate on the next few hours.

Her head tilted suspiciously, then she glanced down toward his groin, nearly terrifying him spit less by asking, "Oh…is that for me?"

"What…?" he gazed blankly, then realised she meant the bouquet, "Oh…right…so it is." He moved with studied casualness into the room, discreetly putting an armchair between them before offering the bouquet.

"Are you sure you're all right? You don't seem quite…yourself," her frown was worried as she took the roses. Kakashi prudently kept behind the chair.

"I was just thinking over a few details, Sakura," about what I'd like to do to you, "Don't mind me. You know how preoccupied I can get." He'd never been more grateful for his mask. He ran a hand through his hair, agitatedly sorting out his options for dealing with the situation.

"Um…ok…if you say so," she didn't sound convinced. She glanced around her apartment, vaguely sensing something amiss and uncertain what to do next.

"I think I'll grab a drink of water before we go," Kakashi leaned on the back of the chair, glancing toward the kitchen, "I got a little dry on the way over. You'll probably need to put the flowers in vase. You might want to put them in your bedroom. The scent would be nice for you to fall asleep or wake up to," and if you please leave the room, I can deal with this before you notice. That way neither of us will die from embarrassment. Especially me, since you'll probably kill me, "After that, do you need to do anything else before we leave?"

"Um…yes…" it was a good idea. The flowers did need water and, she decided, another careful spot-check in the bathroom mirror might be advisable. He'd been acting weird since seeing her. "You get your drink, Kakashi-Sensei. I'll be right back." Walking away, she didn't notice the spellbound eye glued to her ass.

Once she'd vanished, Kakashi strode to the kitchen, swearing quietly at the ache in his groin. There was no other way, he grumbled, turning on the faucet, letting it run cold as he moved to get a glass. He had too little time and too few options. This called for drastic measures. He'd have to use 'that', the one thing he never wanted to remember. He shuddered in apprehension, filling the glass before turning the faucet off. Then he leaned against the counter, glass in hand, eyes closed, letting his mind roam back in time.

Once, many years ago, travelling home from separate missions, teenagers Kakashi and Gai unexpectedly met at a small city festival in southern Fire Country. Both newly of legal drinking age, they'd joined the celebration. Then too much sake and one of Gai's challenges had led to a fiasco of epic proportions, which, before its end, involved a number of shrine maidens, geisha, some temple cats, Kakashi's ninken and Gai's turtles, the destruction of many festival attractions, the daimyo's wife and a manure cart. This was followed by a night leading the constabulary on a merry chase all over the city in which the two, despite their inebriation, managed the minor miracle of avoiding arrest. Only improvising a bold successful escape ended the incident.

When it was over there'd been three major consequences. They'd been reprimanded by the Hokage. The daimyo's wife adopted a cat, Tora, future bane of genin teams. And Kakashi was left with 'that' - traumatic memories which had ably abolished his sex drive for three solid, nerve-racking months until, terrified he'd become a eunuch, he'd sought Genma's help.

After several efforts to erase the ordeal failed, he'd settled for blocking it away. He'd eventually come to view 'that' as an infallible ultimate technique, instantly able to kill his sex drive for a duration of several days. Accordingly, he only used it in extreme situations, when it was highly imperative he not 'rise' to the occasion. Like now, when he quickly needed to deal with his untimely erection before Sakura's return or die. So, he reluctantly forced open his mental block, summoning the full horror of 'that'.

Kakashi and Gai had finally resorted to disguises to get away. The details were still fuzzy (he blamed the sake) on how they'd ended up as geisha. Kakashi'd played his role with proper shy modesty. Gai, being Gai…hadn't. Gai in full geisha makeup and robes had been disturbing enough. Being forced to witness him in full Springtime of Youthful Passion slut mode, shamelessly flirting…and arranging dates…with half the city police force during their escape had nearly traumatised Kakashi witless.

Even now his stomach twisted to recall Gai artfully flashing a leg at local constables as his eyes fluttered flirtatiously over a fan. Shivers went down his spine at the remembered sound of Konoha's Green Beast's 'seductive' giggles as, with outrageous posing, he'd displayed his formidable 'cleavage' to clueless admirers. Kakashi's eye twitched at evoked visions of his rival gazing admiringly into his victims' eyes, while his hands roamed boldly down arms, across cheeks, over uniforms and downhill to…other places. And that wasn't the worst of it. The faint taste of bile in his throat made him gag, as he saw again the kisses – with way too much tongue – he could never unsee.

Poor 'Little Kakashi' instantly shrivelled in dismay while his balls went into full screaming retreat into his abdomen, his libido going from hot to ice cold in seconds. Choking, he quickly yanked his mask down to guzzle cold water. Then, taking calming breaths, he firmly locked 'that' – the supreme horror of Geisha Gai - away again, indulging in a convulsive full body shudder before carefully setting the glass down. Still breathing deeply, he stood recovering, until footsteps sounded behind him. He pulled his mask back up before turning.

"Ah, Sakura," he smiled tranquilly, "Shall we go?"

* * *

><p>Sai eased past a few more people, using the cover to move into position at the bar. Casually he glanced at Tenten and Ebisu just sitting down at a table, then back toward the door. It would do, he decided, until Kakashi and Sakura arrived. Then he'd reassess the best position to watch the action on both fronts.<p>

He watched the couple order drinks. Tenten's manner was flirtatious, lightly touching Ebisu's hand, leaning toward him. A very appreciative Ebisu had his eyes glued to her. The byplay occupied him until a familiar blonde head in his periphery vision caught his attention.

It seemed to be his lucky night, he mused, as Hinata and Naruto arrived. He saw the girls share a brief glance as Naruto ushered her to a table in the dining area. When they were safely seated, Sai considered briefly, and then nonchalantly moved to a better position at a table, keeping both couples as well as the door in view. He sat down, ordering a non alcoholic drink from an attentive waiter, his eyes moving with studied casualness between his objectives.

He considered Naruto and Hinata as they perused menus and talked. Was this, he wondered, what was referred as being 'sweet'? Hinata's weren't the only blushes he saw. The interaction was tentative, explorative, the attraction between the two sincere yet shyly awkward. They seemed content to slowly discover each other, any sexual heat between them more potential than actual.

His eyes turned to Tenten and Ebisu in comparison. While Hinata shyly encouraged Naruto, Tenten daringly tempted Ebisu. They were fully engaged with each other, in action and conversation. They were far bolder, with more touching, more direct gazes, more obvious physical displays. The heat seemed to simmer between them like a living thing. He studied them intently, slowly sipping his drink before idly pulling out a new sketchpad.

* * *

><p>Tenten coyly glanced away from Ebisu in time to see Kakashi and Sakura enter the restaurant. Her eyes widened as she took in the details, unconsciously gasping, "Wow, Sakura looks great!" No girl took that much care with her appearance unless she was deadly serious about the guy. She sent a covert look Kakashi's way.<p>

It was the first occasion she'd ever seen him out of uniform. The man cleaned up impressively. The fit of his deep smoky grey blazer over black dress shirt and pants hinted at a fine physique. His mask, also black tonight, was ever-present, but his headband was replaced by an eye patch. Hints of crimson kept the outfit from being too sober, matching well with Sakura's dress.

The best part was their interaction. Tenten looked approvingly at their joined arms. She noted how Kakashi's head bent attentively toward Sakura's. In a restaurant crowded with people, they seemed to be in their own private bubble. It looked so romantic. She smiled, happy for her friend, yet also aware of a faint wistfulness.

"Yes, she is looking lovely," Ebisu's voice broke into her reverie, "And ordinarily I'd say Kakashi is a very lucky man. But," his thumb traced patterns on her hand, "Since I'm with the loveliest woman in the room, I believe that role is mine tonight." His gaze was so intense she could feel it on her skin, like a caress. Warmed, she smiled brilliantly. She sent good wishes in Sakura's direction, before returning her full attention to Ebisu.

* * *

><p>Hinata shyly glanced away from Naruto in time to see Sakura enter the restaurant on Kakashi's arm. As she took in the details she reacted with an impressed gasp of "Ooooh." They looked perfect together, she thought longingly, the way she wanted to, with Naruto. She glanced covertly at the blonde.<p>

Naruto'd followed her gaze. His eyes widened too, but he frowned slightly, his protective streak aroused by Kakashi's proprietary air toward Sakura. Uneasily, he wondered how he'd missed it. Had he been that preoccupied recently? Perceptively, Hinata guessed the cause of his concern. Impulsively she reached across to pat his hand reassuringly.

"I'm sure Sakura will be fine, Naruto," she quietly offered, "Kakashi-Sensei would never hurt her. You know that."

"Um…sure," grinning self-consciously, he turned back to her, "I know that. It's just… I didn't know they were interested in each other. Well, not that way, you know? It's…a surprise, that's all." He shot another suspicious look at Kakashi, "Maybe we should say hello? We can join them, just for a while, right?" As he started to rise, Hinata adroitly nipped his impulse in the bud.

"It'd be rude to impose on their plans, Naruto," she gently caught hold of his hand, "Maybe later we can say hello to them." She keenly appraised the couple, "But right now, they seem happy to be alone with each other," blushing, she smiled at him, "Like I am with you." With an answering blush, Naruto quickly sat down, his eyes now only for her…

* * *

><p>A flash of silver and pink at the entrance caught Sai's eye. He sat up, his eyes widened appreciatively at Sakura's appearance. He'd never seen her looking so attractive. If he hadn't known this was to be a performance, he'd have thought Kakashi a very lucky man. He caught a brief glimpse of Pakkun through the door before the pug darted away.<p>

He noted the others' becoming aware of the new arrivals, using lip-reading to discover their reactions. Tenten was clearly impressed before her attention was reclaimed by Ebisu. Hinata's reaction drew Naruto's attention. Interpreting the Jinchuuriki's concern, Sai glanced between him and Kakashi, hoping the Jounin had seen the danger. It'd be unfortunate if their performance was spoiled by an overprotective team mate.

As they took a table in the dining area within sight of the other two couples, Sai contemplated the angles, and then decided his present position was ideal. He ordered another drink, sitting back to watch as he finished a sketch.

* * *

><p>If he had to make a fool of himself tonight, Sasuke thought dryly, at least he'd look good doing it.<p>

He examined his appearance in his bedroom mirror. The black dress pants fit snugly, emphasizing the length of his legs. The deep burgundy shirt was of a looser fit, unbuttoned low enough to hint at the musculature of his chest. Since most of his blazers and jackets were emblazoned with his clan insignia, he'd decided to forgo one, to avoid provoking his target.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he thought over his plan. It'd be considered poor even by Naruto's standards, he griped. With so much depending on how Sai reacted to him, he'd concluded his best strategy was to ad lib as he went. Such spontaneity went against his nature. That was usually Naruto's part, while he supplied careful planning, Kakashi somehow combined the two to make it work and Sakura cleaned up after them.

Yamato'd told him Sai might be at the Golden Katana sometime around 7pm. Might, not would. Insufficient intelligence, he growled to himself, the bane of all shinobi. All he could do was go to the restaurant and see if the ex-ROOT agent was there. This was why he'd decided to arrive well after the specified time, to give the other enough time to arrive before him.

The irony of it being the same restaurant Hinata picked for her date with Naruto wasn't lost on him. He sighed, unhappy with the prospect of seeing them together so soon after letting the blonde go. It couldn't be helped though. The time limit Ino had imposed meant this might be his only opportunity to chase down the elusive Sai.

He glanced at a nearby clock before quickly moving to the bathroom to run a brush through his hair, careful checking in the bathroom mirror. He concluded it would have to do. After making sure he had his wallet and keys, he was out the door. It's time, he thought as he locked up. Let's get this over with.

* * *

><p>Sakura disguised her secret peeks at the others as flirtation with an amused Kakashi. Covertly, she glanced toward Hinata while laughing at one of his comments. She admitted she hadn't quite believed the report from Sai. After years of listening to her shy friend obsess over the blonde, she'd come to doubt this day would ever happen. Now, she couldn't deny the evidence of her own eyes. There was Hinata, on a date with Naruto.<p>

"I did tell you," Kakashi murmured, leaning intimately toward her, "Was it so hard to believe your old sensei?"

"I know…I'm sorry, it's just…" she barely suppressed a squeal at how sweetly bashful the couple seemed, "…they're so cute together!"

"It's almost enough to give you cavities, isn't it," Kakashi gazed admiringly at her, keeping track of the others in his periphery vision, "But if the sugar's on one side, the spice is on the other," his eye flicked briefly toward Tenten and Ebisu. Faking a demure glance away from him, Sakura observed them as she sipped her wine.

"Wow," she tilted her head as if regarding her glass, "I know Tenten was warming up to him, but this…" she leaned toward him, "It's like seeing a whole different side of her. I never knew she could be so…so…"

"Incendiary? Definitely on the spicy side." his amused eye regarded her, "I'm sure Ebisu agrees with me." She giggled in agreement.

"I don't think his eyes have left her since we arrived," she hid a glance undercover of eating, "I don't blame him, she looks fantastic. So does Hinata."

"So do you," his hand warmly covered hers. A shiver ran up her spine as she blushed at the compliment. She met his eye, unsure if she was regretting or enjoying their act. Perhaps, she mused, it was a bit of both.

* * *

><p>Sai was amazed at the contrasts in the three couples' behaviour. It was enlightening to see such a wide variety of sexual behaviour.<p>

On one end of the spectrum were Naruto and Hinata. Their attraction was obviously new, fragile, the couple fumbling a bit as they took their time, finding their way. Hinata was shyly quiet yet earnest while Naruto, honest as always, was self-conscious and a bit goofy. They had a sense of sweet sincerity about them. He had the impression the relationship could last, if they managed to find their way past their early awkwardness. He found himself hoping they would.

On the other end, Tenten and Ebisu were intensely passionate. Their relationship, though also new, was more physical, with a definite sexual sizzle between them. Their attraction was obvious, real and fast moving, leaving one speculating if it would last beyond its consummation. It reminded Sai of flames that burned brightly, hotly, yet all too briefly.

Sakura and Kakashi's act was in the middle of the spectrum, yet somehow seemed the most authentic. Yes, there seemed to be real sexual attraction between them, yet also the feeling of a connection, deep and genuine. He had the impression he was seeing a different aspect of an already existing relationship, a next step rather than a new beginning. As a performance its quality was astonishing. Sai would've sworn it was real. It made him wonder who the couple were really fooling.

Was their friendship giving depth to their act? Or were they honestly not aware of their possible feelings for each other? Sai made a mental note to bring it to Yamato's attention. The older ANBU had explained the perplexing behaviour of others to him on occasion. It'd be interesting to hear his insight on Kakashi and Sakura. He flipped to the next blank page in the sketchbook.

* * *

><p>Teachers, Tenten was surprised to learn, heard all the best gossip. What truly amazed her was the quality rivalled – no, surpassed - any she'd heard from Ino.<p>

It was obvious why once she thought about it. Kids always managed to see or hear things they shouldn't and would talk about it with other kids. Then there was the sheer number of parents, usually mothers, standing around gossiping while they waited to pick up said kids after school. Add in the fact the mission room, filled with gossiping shinobi, and the Hokage's office was in the same building. Teachers would get to overhear or be engaged in countless conversations. The Academy was literally 'gossip central'.

And Ebisu, though leading a genin team these days, had clearly kept his sources. He was also a goldmine of old stories. Tenten knew he was close to Gai and Kaskashi in age, but it'd never occurred to her he'd shared or witnessed some of their past escapades.

It was fascinating to find out, for instance, the tale of Gai-Sensei's green jumpsuit. It was such a basic part of him she'd believed he'd worn it since his Academy days, maybe longer, her secret theory being he'd somehow been born in it. On the rare occasions he put on something else it always felt oddly wrong despite how good it looked. Now, she was surprised to learn the jumpsuit was a legacy from his first jounin sensei, passed down in turn, as Gai had with Lee. And that, as a teenager he'd put it aside for a time to embark on an intense hunt for the 'perfect look'. This was conducted, of course, with extreme Youthful Passion to the dismay of everyone in his vicinity.

As Ebisu regaled her with vivid descriptions of the various styles Gai'd tried, from silk to plaid to leather, and even one epic journey into the world of spray-on latex, Tenten gleefully knew she'd have blackmail material for years to come. Her personal favourite was a suede western style outfit. The mental image of a young Gai-Sensei performing his signature taijutsu while clad in yards of eighteen inch leather fringe was mind-boggling. She granted it would've distracted and misdirected his opponents - by shocking the hell out of them.

She didn't dare think about him in latex. That was just too disturbing.

But it was Ebisu's account of the reactions and 'helpful' criticism from Gai's friends, Kakashi, Asuma and Genma among them, that almost had her on the floor. For example, the memorable first outing of the western suede when Gai joined the three for drinks.

At the first sight of him, Genma'd spontaneously spit out his senbon with such incredible force, it'd ricocheted off the bar, then off the back shelves, breaking three bottles before rebounding back to impale his own ass. He'd required medical aid from an amused Shizune, also present. Asuma, in the throes of a coughing fit after nearly swallowing his cigarette, wound up puking in a nearby alley. Kakashi, shocked immobile except for the widening of his lone eye, was left alone facing an exuberant Gai asking, "What do you think?" Forced to respond, the Copy Nin had gulped faintly, then instantly proclaimed, "Gai, you're the very image of a gay caballero." Totally missing the insinuation, Gai shed tears of Manly Joy at his Eternal Rival's Youthful approval.

Tenten could easily imagine the scene. As they continued to trade stories, she found she was enjoying her evening, and Ebisu, more than she'd ever imagined.

* * *

><p>Sasuke stood on the roof across the street, studying his destination. It'd taken longer to get here than it should've, he disgustedly mused. It wasn't hard to figure out why. No one liked the prospect of being rejected, especially in a public venue. The chance of seeing Naruto with Hinata wasn't much of a draw either. So he'd kept catching himself slowing or being easily distracted. Even now, he was reluctant to press forward and actually enter the restaurant.<p>

He sighed, glancing around the rooftops, his eyes absently catching and following the billowing capes of an ANBU patrol speeding off in the distance. He snorted, reminded of Sai. A light breeze dishevelled his hair and he absently swept a hand through it, staring across the street. He sighed again realizing he was still delaying the inevitable. Steeling himself, he sprang from the roof, landing to stroll coolly across the street to the restaurant.

* * *

><p>"Um…Naruto," Hinata toyed with her food, "I-I'll understand if you don't want to answer this…but…I was wondering. I noticed there's a new Icha Icha out," blushing, she quickly added, "As I was passing by the bookstore, I mean. And I was wondering…well…why?"<p>

"Why there's a new Icha Icha?" he stared at her over his forkful of food.

"It's j-just that, with Jiraiya dead, I wouldn't think there'd be more?" she bit her lip, "Or maybe it's a book he'd already written but hadn't been published yet?"

"Well, yeah," he grinned sheepishly, reaching for his drink, "The one just out was written before he died."

"Oh," she looked down at her plate in disappointment. She'd unexpectedly enjoyed the series. It was a shame it was ending just as she discovered it. She added without thinking, "What a pity."

"Hm?" he shot her a startled look over the rim, "What do you mean?"

"Um," her blush deepened as she struggled to answer, "For…um…his readers. Like Kakashi-Sensei. I mean, he seems to enjoy the series so much, he must be disappointed there'll soon be no more published. And…and for you, too," she gazed sincerely at him, "You traveled with Jiraiya for over two years and got very close to him. It must be a comfort, like part of him is still here with you, even though he's gone."

"Yeah, it is. Thanks Hinata," he grinned at her as he set his glass down. At the sight, she spontaneously smiled shyly back, her heart beating faster. Then, to her surprise, Naruto shot a quick glance toward Kakashi and Sakura. Then he quickly turned to lean over the table toward her. Her heart started to race as she instinctively leaned forward as well.

"But you don't have to worry about me or Kaka-Sensei," he whispered, his hand hiding his mouth from the other table.

"Naruto…why are we whispering?" she asked, mystified.

"Cause I don't want Kaka-Sensei to know what I'm about to tell you," he shot another quick glance at the Jounin. "I know you'll keep it secret. Because if he finds out, well…l don't think anything will stop him. Considering him, that's a scary thought." Her eyes widened. Just what, she wondered, was this about? What was she getting into? The only answer she could give him was an uncertain, "Um…?"

"The truth is the last Icha Icha published…isn't. Jiraiya left lots of unpublished manuscripts," he told her.

"But," she stared at him, puzzled, "Why weren't they? I-I mean, wasn't there quite a bit of time between each of his books? Were they unfinished novels? Or maybe he didn't think they were good enough?"

"No, no, that's not it. Or maybe sort of, I guess. I found all this out when I was travelling with him," he grinned in conspiracy, "You see Jiraiya didn't have any trouble with writing. Believe it! While I was with him he managed to average a book a month depending on what he was up to. And he'd been writing for years before that!" Her eyes widened as she added.

"So many?" she gasped, "But why weren't they published too?"

"Because Jiraiya really hated to edit his own work," his blue eyes sparkled merrily at her, "Or maybe he was just really bad at it. I could never figure out which. I do know he'd do anything to get out of it, even when his publishers were really on his case." He rubbed his whisker marks, "He used me as an excuse the couple of times they tracked him down. He told them he'd been using the time to train me."

"Had he?" she was intrigued but still puzzled about what Kakashi had to do with anything she'd heard so far.

"Not before the first time he used it. He usually took the time for his 'research'. But," he lifted his glass in a small toast, "You can bet I used it to make him give me extra training after that." Amused, she joined in on his toast. As they set down their glasses Naruto continued, "Then he finally got wise and I made a deal with him." Now thoroughly absorbed, she motioned him to continue.

"Well, I…um…agreed to take over the editing for him," he blushed at her startled laugh. Her hand flew to her mouth as she stared at him with dancing eyes. He grinned back and started laughing too. "I know, right? I wasn't even old enough to buy them yet, and there I was editing them." His grin turned thoughtful, "All those spelling and grammar lessons Iruka-Sensei taught us? I never saw the need of them except maybe for mission reports. He's always said no knowledge was wasted," he gazed earnestly at her, "Well, he was right."

"Naruto," she stared at him in speculation, "Do you mean you…"

"Yeah, I pretty much learned everything I needed to while working on 'Tactics'," he nodded to her, "After that, Jiraiya would give me his manuscripts to edit when he'd finished writing them. And, of course," his smile dimmed, "I'm his godson, so when he died, I got most of his estate. That included all of his unpublished work."

"So," astonished, she stared at him, "Now Icha Icha belongs to you? I-I mean you get all the profits from all the merchandise? Not just the books?"

"Jiraiya had a firm policy when it came to that. He didn't keep all of it for himself," Naruto traced a pattern on the table, "I decided to keep the arrangement he had." He looked up from it to her, "I get a third of it. It keeps me in ramen," blue eyes winked at her over a wide grin, "Among other things. As for the rest…well…the remaining two thirds are split four ways and donated anonymously. The hospital, for instance, gets some for medical research. He always had a crush on Tsunade-baa-chan, since they were kids, so it was his way of supporting what she did."

"And…and the rest," she asked quietly.

"It's donated to the Konoha Widows and Orphans fund, the Konoha Orphanage and the Disabled Veterans fund," he answered softly. He gazed at her, "I know he travelled a lot, so he wasn't in Konoha much, but that didn't mean it wasn't on his mind… or in his heart." Touched, Hinata, blinked back unexpected tears.

"That's…beautiful," she smiled gently. "So…no one knows about this but you…and now, me?"

"That's right," he grinned, "So, secret, right?"

"Of course," she smiled back, "But there're things I still don't understand. Why are we still whispering? And what does any of this have to do with Kakashi-Sensei?"

"Are you kidding?" his eyes shot to the other table before turning back to hers, "You know how Kaka-Sensei is about Icha Icha, right? And I've got every unpublished story Jiraiya's ever written. All of them! Do you have any idea what he'd do to get his hands on them?" he shivered, eyes widening in dread. "If he knew about them, he'd be relentless. There's no telling what he'd be capable of. Especially," he leaned closer to tensely whisper, "To me! Believe it! I'm talking major self preservation here! It was one of the first lessons Team Seven ever learned from him." He shot another wary look at the man in question, before earnestly advising in a horror-struck whisper, "Never…ever…mess with his Icha Icha!"

* * *

><p>Sai critically examined the page. He'd divided it into three, to better show the contrasting behaviour of each couple. He frowned, and then with a quick glance at Sakura, swiftly corrected a small detail. He leaned back, satisfied as he turned to a clean sheet. He'd have much to discuss with Yamato, he decided, sipping his drink. His eyes scanned his vicinity before idly drifting toward Tenten and Ebisu. With a few simple lines he depicted how their heads tilted intimately toward each other, his hand sliding up her arm as they conversed. Then Sai randomly flicked his gaze to a corner, as if something caught his eye. After a brief pause, his gaze tracked back over the bar, across the new arrivals, toward the tables.<p>

Then one face sunk in. Sai's eyes darted back to see Sasuke ease around a laughing couple to lean against the wall. Forgetting the others, Sai watched him. Gradually he became aware his pulse rate was racing, his breath quickening correspondingly. His grip on his pencil suddenly felt less firm. He checked, surprised to see his palms sweating. He absently wiped them on a napkin, his eyes back on the Uchiha as he pondered.

He'd found such reactions usually accompanied excitement, up to and including the sexual variety. Was he finding the arrival of Sasuke…exciting? He was considered very attractive and not just by girls. Having no idea of his true preference, however, his male admirers kept their opinions quiet around the touchy Uchiha. Then Sai blinked, wondered why he was considering it from a sexual angle. It was more likely his excitement was due to his chance to solve the mystery of Sasuke's target. Sai briefly considered opening a conversation with him to gain some clue before reluctantly deciding against it. Their past encounters had led him to conclude the Uchiha was wary of him and Sai believed he knew why.

He was well aware how his old associates viewed the man who killed their leader. Danzo's loss had been traumatizing to the orphans of ROOT.

Danzo'd used his years in ROOT to brutally mould them to ensure their absolute obedience and loyalty to him and him alone. But though he demanded loyalty, Danzo had never been loyal to them. Sai wondered if he'd ever truly been loyal to anyone. His agents were only disposable living tools of his will. Those who survived learned never to question this, not even in the silence of their own minds. Mind reading techniques, like the Yamanaka's, existed after all and Danzo had at least one agent capable of them.

Trapped in an unstable world where their names changed regularly and they could literally die on a whim, those agents had desperately needed a sense of permanence, one constant to hang on to. Danzo had made sure he was it, becoming the lodestone they revolved around. It wasn't surprising most came to revere him with an almost holy zeal. His death had overturned their existence, casting them adrift, instinctively seeking a replacement to cling to in the same way the drowning grasped for a lifeline.

Years later, the survivors still struggled to adjust to a life beyond ROOT. It was an ongoing battle none but the youngest, least trained, and therefore, least broken, would ever fully win. For the rest, the damage Danzo's training had done to their personalities and emotions were, like Sai's, permanent. It was understandable they viewed Sasuke with resentment, even hatred, as the man responsible for the hardships they'd undergone since Danzo's death. Sai often wondered if they'd ever be able to comprehend the truth. By removing Danzo from their lives, Sasuke had ultimately helped them all.

Sai did understand. But then, he'd long come to the conclusion he wasn't fully like his fellow ex-ROOT operatives.

In comparison he considered himself remarkably lucky. Shin had saved him, first by being his encouraging 'big brother', then, strange mercy, by dying before Sai was forced into lethal combat with him. Without his support Sai wouldn't have become Danzo's best artistic prospect to learn the powerful ROOT sealing technique. Regrettably, the duality of trying to master a technique that used emotion while maintaining ROOT's policy of emotionless ness made it flawed until after Danzo's death, but that worked in Sai's favour as well. Not only did the struggle to do so help fuel his curiosity about emotions and bonds with others, he'd been allowed leeway to openly study them.

Then fortune smiled again when he'd been placed on Team Seven. Naruto and the others had come to believe in him. They'd made him one of them, allowing him to experience emotions and bonds first hand. It'd helped him recover his buried feelings for Shin, enabling him to finish the book chronicling their relationship. Even in the horror of war, faced with his brother as an Edo Tensi undead, he'd been blessed. When Shin had seen their book, he'd peacefully passed to the pure world, leaving his influence on Sai's life untainted. So, though he'd had endured the same harsh training as the rest, Sai'd been able to grow beyond the limits of Danzo and ROOT.

How could he hate Sasuke? If anything, Sai was grateful. Even in his absence he'd had an influence on Sai's life. If it wasn't for Sasuke, would he have met Team Seven? It was Naruto's mission to recover the Uchiha that'd drawn Sai's initial curiosity. He'd realised only later how strongly it'd struck an involuntarily cord with his own suppressed feelings for Shin. His continuing fascination had led to the team becoming a major influential in his life, in competition with Danzo's. That'd given him the strength to undermine his training, to go against orders. Danzo's death hadn't impacted him as strongly as it had the others: he'd had his team to lean on. And any early worries his friends saw him only as Sasuke's substitute had long been put to rest before the Uchiha's return.

So, unlike his old compatriots, Sai's feelings for Sasuke were far more benign. Oh, he understood why Sasuke was wary of him. What he regretted was never managing to overcome that obstacle to forge the same connection with him that he had to the rest of the team.

He shook himself, dually uncomfortable with his memories of Danzo and the realization of how long he'd been staring. He forced himself to turn away, signalling a passing waiter for another drink before taking up his surveillance of the others. Sai found he had to fight to keep his attention on them. It kept trying to turn back to Sasuke.

* * *

><p>Sasuke leaned against the wall as he cast an initial survey of the place. Than he began another, this time paying more attention to details and faces. He inwardly winced when seeing Tenten at a bar table reminded of their last encounter. It seemed, he thought sourly, his coming humiliation would have at least one informed witness.<p>

Then, as he recognised her companion, his brow creased. He hadn't seen much of Ebisu-Sensei since his Academy days, when he'd taught the occasional class. He remembered after their first disastrous Chuunin exam, Naruto had loudly claimed Ebisu was a pervert. He'd been surpassed in perversion, however by the 'Pervy Sage', later revealed as Jiraiya, one of the Sannin. Knowing Naruto, he doubted he'd limited his opinion to Team Seven, so, it surprised him Tenten seemed to find Ebisu appealing. Sasuke'd always mentally paired her with someone like Neji or Shikamaru.

Curious, he watched them for a time, finding her bold behaviour shockingly at odds with the girl he remembered. Or maybe, he mused, feeling his cheeks heat, it was him, not her. He'd usually ignored most sexual behaviour, especially toward himself, dismissing it as tedious and unnecessary to his goals. Being actively pursued by a giggling, squabbling horde of fan girls had helped solidify his resolve. Now he knew there'd been a more natural reason for the aversion. In retrospect he was finding himself disturbingly inexperienced in an area most people likely assumed he was skilled in. He was struck with the unhappy thought his critics would gladly point to it as proof there might be other overlooked deficiencies in his other skill areas.

On that bleak insight, he turned back to business, becoming aware of how long he'd been holding up the wall. He pushed off it to move nonchalantly toward the standing section of the bar. Taking advantage of an opening, he slide into a space seconds after it was vacated by another customer. He ordered a drink, and then waited, glancing along the bar. A nearby group of civilian girls were obviously checking him out. Their giggling and admiring glances began to make him uncomfortable. Then he wondered how they'd take the news he was officially gay and therefore playing on their team. He turned away to hide a smirk. Still, when his drink arrived, he sensibly slipped away before they decided to approach him.

Absently, he passed through the crowd, occasionally sipping his drink as he looked around. Seeing a familiar golden blonde head he paused, then, after a quick survey of his surroundings, found a vacant bar stool. He purposefully turned his back, spending a few moments concentrating on his drink, the murmur of voices around him, even his own breathing. After downing the last drop, he looked into his empty glass, sighed, and then lifted it to get the bartender's attention. He watched the man move to fill his order before finally looking into the mirror over the bar. His eyes were instantly drawn to that bright head and its darker companion.

* * *

><p>While Ebisu tried to get the waitress' attention, Tenten took the opportunity to look around. She started by checking up on the other girls.<p>

Sakura and Kakashi were still steaming up their vicinity, she saw with a grin. Kakashi was soulfully gazing into Sakura's eyes as he tempted her with a forkful of food. He certainly seemed to know how to treat a girl. It made her wonder how far his talents extended. She'd have to grill Sakura later on um…various interesting things she'd always wondered about the Copy Nin. Like if the face was as hot as the rest of him and how well he kissed. And don't forget how firm his ass was. She had to know if Sasuke's tale of Sakura copping feels of Hatake tush was true. Happily looking forward to it, she glanced toward another table.

Her smile widened as she watched Hinata with Naruto. She'd almost cheered when she'd seen her shy friend walk in on her date's arm. For years Hinata had loved Naruto from afar, only dreaming of being with him. Now she was finally making her dream come true, like something out of a romantic fairy tale. And they were so unbelievably cute together! Tenten liked to think she was a tough, practical Kunoichi, but a secret romantic part of her was dying to squeal like a fan girl. She could feel it vibrating in her throat, on the verge of escaping, every time she looked at them. Quickly, she turned away before it did. The last thing she wanted was to scare the hell out of her own date.

She was idly running her gaze down the nearby bar when a familiar face caught her attention. Speak of the devil, she thought, recognising Sasuke. She watched him, wondering if he'd really go through with Ino's challenge, still feeling some lingering guilty for her involvement in the earlier confrontation. He ordered a refill, then looked reluctantly up into the bar mirror, his eyes searching and finding something. Curious, she calculated the angles, realising he was watching Hinata and Naruto. It reminded her he was the Hyuuga's rival. She worriedly glanced between them, wondering if he was going to make trouble and finding herself torn. She truly believed Hinata deserved her chance at happiness and, both as a friend and by the terms of their challenge, was honour bound to help her, but she couldn't help but feel for Sasuke as well. She wished somehow neither would wind up hurt, but feared it was a naïve hope.

She continued to watch Sasuke watch them, alert for signs of trouble, eventually becoming aware of something vaguely off about him. Outwardly, he seemed his usual self, poised and confidently cool. So why did she sense a sadness about him? Where did she get the impression he was hurting but gamely hiding it? Somehow he looked so lonely sitting there. It was completely at odds with how she usually saw him. Was she imagining it? Maybe her residual guilt was colouring her impressions? She hoped so; it was disturbing to see him so vulnerable and think she might be partially responsible.

She gazed at him, troubled, until Ebisu asked her preference in finger foods. Welcoming the distraction, she engaged in a lively debate with him and the waitress that considerably brightened her mood. By the time she darted another quick glance toward the bar, Sasuke was gone.

* * *

><p>Sai followed Naruto's glare in Kakashi's direction while Hinata was preoccupied with a passing Hyuuga couple. Kakashi didn't notice, being fully engaged in his performance with Sakura. That is, if it really was a performance. Sai still had his doubts.<p>

They were gazing into each other's eyes, Sakura giggling at something Kakashi was telling her. He reached across the table to squeeze her hand in emphasis. She blushed lightly, her eyes sparkling, lips parted in a smile. Mischievously she picked a piece of fruit from her plate, popping it in his mouth with a playful reply. His eye twinkled back at her as he chewed.

And Sai blinked, wondering belatedly how he'd failed to noticed before. He'd watched them feed each other several times; he'd never wondered how it was getting past Kakashi's mask. Was a hole in the mask being hidden by a genjutsu? He irritably shook his head, growling faintly at his own denseness.

With a genjutsu, it didn't have to be a hole in the mask being hidden; it could be the portion of Kakashi's face usually covered by the mask itself. It was just that Kakashi and his mask were so intimately entwined in his mind, thinking of him without it was nearly impossible. He doubted there were many people who could. The Jounin's looks were hotly speculated on, but Sai'd never heard of anyone openly claiming to have seen the bottom half of his face. He'd privately wondered, though, if Yamato was among the few so privileged.

It also meant Copy Nin Kakashi, the man no one saw without a mask, had been sitting all this time in a room full of people without one – and no one had noticed. He certainly lived up to his reputation. Sai was torn between amazement he even had such a jutsu and admiration of his cool nerve as he continued to effortlessly fool the entire restaurant. Including a certain blonde Jinchuuriki.

Sai's eyes darted back to the other table. Naruto's quest to see Kakashi's face was a thing of mythic proportions in Team Seven. His plans ranged from subtly cunning to outrageous beyond belief yet all ended in failure. When amused team members gave an account they were often met with open scepticism and thought to be telling tall tales. With the end to his pursuit literally in front of him, was there a chance Naruto'd also notice?

He watched the blonde aim another glare at the Jounin before Hinata reclaimed his attention and gleefully concluded, no, it was not to be. Hinata obviously had the majority of Naruto's attention. Keeping a protective eye on Sakura seemed to be a distant second. The mystery behind Kakashi's mask wasn't even in the running. Unless it was pointed out to him he'd never realise what he was missing. Well, Sai decided, as a conscientious member of Team Seven, there was only one course he could take. At the next good opportunity, he'd inform Dickless and make sure he never lived it down. Naruto's response were sure to be extraordinary, humorous and worth looking forward to.

After, of course, he reported everything to Yamato. The ANBU captain's reaction would also be interesting and possibly informative. Then, Sai blinked rapidly as another facet fell like a brick.

Sakura knew. Of course she knew; she'd been the one feeding Kakashi through his 'mask'. He'd been so engrossed by his discovery, it'd almost escaped him. In the field missing such a detail could have dire consequences. Countless lives could be lost. It troubled him to think he was being less than meticulous, even on an unofficial mission for a friend.

Under Danzo such a slip might've been enough to sign his death warrant. Of course, this wasn't the case and the man long dead, but he couldn't help the cold chill that ran along his spine. Suppressing a shiver, he reflected this was the second time he'd thought about ROOT's ex-leader tonight. It reminded him of other times he'd felt the icy grip of Danzo's ghostly influence. It had a habit of showing up to haunt him when he least expected it.

In his distraction, his eyes had been involuntarily searching until they found a distinctive dark head on the other side of the restaurant. Was it only hours ago he'd noticed it's resemblance to a duck's backside? He watched Sasuke slip with a shinobi's grace through the throng, carelessly sipping his drink as his dark eyes scanned the area around him. He tensed as someone caught his attention. Distance and the bad line of sight thwarted Sai's attempt to see who. Was he looking for his target? As Sasuke relaxed and moved on, Sai briefly studied the people around him before abandoning the search. It was impossible to guess. He had nothing to go on. He'd just have to see if Sasuke made contact with someone.

Still feeling a lingering icy shiver, he solemnly regarded the roving Uchiha. He wondered if Danzo ever haunted Sasuke too.

* * *

><p>Hinata dealt with another Hyuuga interruption of her evening and suspected clan conspiracy. It wasn't her father, cousin or sister. Of the three, Hanabi had been the only one in doubt, but this wasn't her style. She tended to be very…direct. Hinata'd been surprised she hadn't waylaid Naruto in the courtyard, though, remembering the bush, perhaps she'd interrupted her attempt.<p>

No, this had a hasty feeling and her family had known long enough to refine any plans. She faintly recalled a clan elder in the courtyard when she left but couldn't recall who it'd been. It could be significant. There were a few elders who were quite strict, particularly when it came to the main branch. It was possible one was doing this to keep tabs on her. She just hoped it wasn't a sign of future troubles.

In her periphery, she watched Naruto use the opportunity to send a warning glare toward Kakashi. Amused, she supposed she couldn't hold it against him. After all, he'd been very attentive to her all evening, only showing his protective streak for Sakura on the few occasions her own attention wandered. Plus it was entertaining to watch him trying to be sneaky about it.

* * *

><p>Sakura paused in mid sip when she heard a quiet sigh. She glanced over at Kakashi, noting a faint furrow in his forehead. She finished her swallow carefully, nervously hoping it wasn't because of her as she set her glass down.<p>

"Is something wrong, Kakashi-Sensei?" she asked uncertainly.

"It's nothing for you to worry about, Sakura," he leaned forward, to reassuringly pat her hand, "Though," he murmured quietly with an accompanying eye crinkle, "You really should drop the 'Sensei'. We are equals, not student and teacher anymore. And we are on a 'date'."

"Then what's with the sigh? I hope I'm not that boring," she was perplexed.

"It's not you at all. You're delightful company, Sakura. I'm enjoying myself immensely. It's my…um…" he aimed a quick flick of his eye toward another table, "Critic from the peanut gallery, over there." She followed it.

"Naruto? Why, what's he been doing?" she kept the other table in her periphery as she looked askance at him.

"Every time Hinata's distracted, he takes the opportunity to glare in my direction," his eye glinted in amusement, "It seems he's being protective of his innocent little Sakura-chan," he grinned at the indignant flash she sent him, "And is suspicious of my intentions."

"I can't believe him at times," she grumbled, "Oh, I know," she lifted a hand to forestall him, "He's always been protective, but there are limits."

"Thankfully, it looks like he's not going to interrupt our dinner. It seemed likely when he first saw us, but Hinata talked him out of it. I'm sure I'll hear all about it soon enough, though. Like during our next training session." He sighed, "I hope I survive it. It's not as easy to keep ahead of him as it once was." She shook her head at him.

"You shouldn't have to deal with that, Kakashi-Se…Kakashi. It's not your problem. Just give him to me," she sniffed, "I'll settle him down. Believe it!" she mimicked acerbically.

"Hm," with a thoughtful hum, he redirecting her attention with a quick eye flick, "You'll probably have an opportunity." She saw a lone Hyuuga engaging Hinata in conversation. As the clansman chattered away, Sakura could see the exasperation she hid from the intruder. Poor Hinata obviously wished he'd leave soon.

Meanwhile, a surprisingly, and suspiciously, quiet Naruto patiently looked on. As Hinata continued to be occupied, Naruto lifted his drink and turned their way. He sent Kakashi a heated "I've got my eye on you" glare over the glass as he sipped before turning back to his date.

"Oh, I don't think so," Sakura growled. She watched keenly, knowing her chance was coming as the Hyuuga talked on. This time, when Naruto lifted his drink and turned their way, she smiled, wiggling her fingers, drawing his attention away from Kakashi.

* * *

><p>Hinata sent a brief apologetic look Naruto's way as she tried to find a polite way to end the conversation. As their visitor continued to drone, she saw her date lift his glass again, turning toward the other table. Suddenly, as the glass reached his lips, he started. Shifting slightly, she saw Sakura lower the hand she'd waved at him.<p>

* * *

><p>As the startled blonde looked at her over the rim of his glass, Sakura sternly locked eyes with him, dropped the smile, and then, with clear menace, made a fist, smacking it into the palm of her other hand. Naruto's eyes shot wide as he instinctively flinched back, choked and nearly spit up his drink as he began to cough.<p>

"There…I think that'll hold him for a while," with a satisfied purr Sakura turned back to Kakashi. He bit back a guffaw before inviting her to clink glasses with him.

"I love your style," he grinned, "Thank you, Sakura. I feel much safer now."

* * *

><p>To Hinata's secret glee, Sakura forcefully glared at Naruto while ominously smacking a fist into her other hand. It was a message even he could understand, making him violently flinch as he choked on his drink.<p>

As he began to cough Hinata jumped at the heaven sent opportunity. With the excuse of aiding him, she hurriedly said her goodbyes, turning quickly away to end the discussion. Faced with her back and clear dismissal, her visitor had no choice but leave. Hinata hoped there wouldn't be any others. She patted Naruto's back, sending a quick amused glance at Sakura in silent thanks before finally returning to her dinner and date.

* * *

><p>He couldn't fault Naruto's reaction, Sai conceded as his pencil flew over the page, documenting the byplay. They'd both been on the receiving end of Sakura's ire enough times to have a healthy survival instinct. Though, as usual, the blonde had been asking for it with his behaviour. At least he'd provided Hinata with a suitable excuse to escape her unwanted visitor.<p>

He let his gaze drift to Tenten and Ebisu's table. They'd ordered finger food along with their refills, he noted. He watched for a time, then allowed his eyes to move over the bar to the last location he'd seen Sasuke. This time he searched in vain. His head tilted thoughtfully as he speculated the possibilities. The Uchiha could be obscured by the crowd, or be in another area of the restaurant. He could've decided to leave. Sai decided he had only one option. He'd keep an eye out for Sasuke. For now, continuing the surveillance on the three couples took priority.

* * *

><p>It wasn't cowardice, Sasuke told himself. He preferred the term 'common sense'. He was intentionally leaving the area where Naruto and Hinata sat for last. If Naruto saw him, he'd want him to join them. The last thing Sasuke wanted was the role of uncomfortable third wheel on his ex-almost boyfriend's date with a girl who claimed he was her romantic rival.<p>

And if he told himself that, he wouldn't have to acknowledge how right he'd been about seeing them together so soon. He wouldn't' have to think about how well they'd looked together. How they'd acted, with shy but definite growing interest in each other. He wouldn't see again the deep feeling in her eyes when she looked at him, or the honest attraction in his for her. He wouldn't have to feel regret for a lost chance. Instead he'd have a bit longer to resign himself to it until being happy for them was truth, without this feeling of loss. Or until, at the very least, he could face them without revealing it. No, he sighed, it was best to concentrate on the excuses he preferred, at least for a little while longer.

Plus, after their morning encounter, he had a feeling he didn't want to get on Hinata's bad side. Or maybe it was just Naruto's rampaging girl stories mixing with that old saying 'beware of the quiet ones'. Either way, an alarming mental image of Hinata, pissed off and ready to stomp his ass for attempted boyfriend theft kept popping into his head. So, saving that section for last was for the best. Really, Sasuke kept telling himself as he wandered, taking in the activity around him.

It was no wonder, he mused, that the Golden Katana was a popular venue. Its layout was very customer friendly. An elongated O shaped bar ran up the middle with shelving for bottles and glasses formed a smaller O inside of it. On the curves, the standing room sections, these shelves were higher, while along the sides, lower, so patrons seated there could converse across the bar. The large mirrors were suspended from the ceiling, meeting the top of the shelves on the curves. Bar supplies and simple, easy food dishes were brought up from a kitchen on the lower floor by small lifts, and then dispensed by the bartenders and wait staff. The tables ringing the bar were small, easily moveable, presumably so they could be grouped as needed. Many patrons roamed, greeting friends who were also in the vicinity or on their way to the dining section. Sasuke, just one more in the crowd, was unexceptional as he searched for Sai.

Wide three stepped stairs, interspaced with long banks of flowers, led down to the dining section, the area easily scan able from the elevated bar. It took up the sides and back of the restaurant, with the restrooms beyond it at the back wall and was serviced by two kitchens, located one per side. The linen covered tables were heavier, spaced further apart and booths with high partitions lined the walls. He thought he detected the faint hum of multiple chakra seals, perhaps one per table, to ensure greater privacy. Flowers were everywhere, small arrangements on tables and banked on the tops of partitions. The dining area personnel were more discreet and formal, providing quick, efficient service. Suitably impressed, he wondered why he'd never thought to come before.

As he gradually moved toward the back, Sasuke realised he was enjoying himself. Even if Yamato's info didn't have the desired results, at least the evening wasn't a total loss. He came across Shikamaru and Choji standing at the bar, spending several minutes talking before ordering another drink and moving on. Rounding the curve, he paused to sip while finishing his scan of the back dining area, sighing as one more potential turned out a stranger. He hadn't realised so many young men in Konoha shared Sai's physical description. Hell, when he thought about it, he did too. And, like him, they'd all decided to show up tonight.

He faced toward the front of the restaurant, evaluating the best way to search it. At a bar table, the back of another dark haired young man was briefly revealed, then hidden again by the moving crowd. Sasuke stared at the spot, his brow creasing. He hadn't seen the man's features but had a vague sense of familiarity. He took a couple of steps in that direction. A laughing young woman grabbed her male companion's collar, hauling him toward the bar, giving Sasuke another tantalizing glimpse.

Whoever it was seemed to be…drawing? Sasuke was sure he'd seen a hand purposefully moving across paper. He continued to stare, waiting impatiently for another gap in the crowd. At last a large group moved past and the way cleared enough to give him a better look. Frustratingly, the dark head revealed only one pale-skinned cheek that occasionally dipped toward a hand that flowed with quick grace across an open book. Sasuke unconsciously took a few steps closer. The behaviour, the subtle body movements, seemed increasingly familiar. Then, finally, the man lifted his head, looking across the room, providing a clear view of his full profile and Sasuke knew.

He'd found Sai.

* * *

><p>An enthusiastic remark warned him. Hearing 'Sasuke Uchiha' giggled behind him, Sai looked back to see two girls staring intently toward the rear of the restaurant, excitedly chatting. Past them, as they moved in that direction, he could see it was indeed Sasuke moving forward. Sai concluded the Uchiha'd taken part in the common customer behaviour of wandering around the circumference of the bar. Knowing the girls hadn't heard the latest about Sasuke, he covertly watched with amused interest as they intercepted him. An intricate dance followed with Sasuke making attempts to escape which they, with impressive coordination, foiled.<p>

* * *

><p>Damn it, Sasuke thought irritably. Why couldn't he step out his door without coming face to face with fan girls? As the latest two examples of the breed were amply proving, he couldn't get away from them. He'd tried to be polite, but they were rapidly reaching his limits while over one of their shoulders he could see Sai still seated at the table. To say it was frustrating was an understatement. He glared at him, so tantalizingly out of reach while he was trapped just yards away.<p>

* * *

><p>When Sasuke glared in his direction for the second time, Sai was puzzled. He couldn't fathom why. Could it be his presence was irritating the Uchiha? But perhaps it wasn't him. He performed a discrete scan of his vicinity. He didn't see anyone he was sure the Uchiha knew but, of course, he couldn't rule out the possibility. He doubted it had anything to do with the Uchiha's mysterious target as he'd surely be pleased to find him, not angry. It was perplexing. In speculation, his eyes roamed the area again before returning to Sasuke. Maybe if he tried to follow the angle of his next look?<p>

Unfortunately, the next unsettling stare seemed ready to bore into Sai's very bones. He quickly ran over the possible causes for Sasuke's irritation, but the Uchiha's continuing distance with him was the only thing called to mind. Perhaps being seen in an uncomfortable situation by an ex-ROOT agent was rubbing him the wrong way. He tapped his pencil on his drawing pad as he quickly debated, aware of his limited time.

* * *

><p>"Come with us. It'll be fun," giggling, the blonde tried to slip her arm through Sasuke's again. Twirling a finger in her hair, her brunette friend levelled a supposedly seductive look his way. It didn't do a thing for him.<p>

"I'll pass," he threw another frustrated look at the irritating space between him and his quarry. So near and yet so far, he griped.

"Oh, come on," she persisted, "You know you want to." He temporarily lost sight of Sai as the crowd came between them. With his attention off her, she ran her hand up his arm, toward his elbow.

"No, I'm sure I don't," he countered, shoving it off for the umpteenth time. He moved a strategic few inches, manoeuvring for position. The other one decided to change tactics.

"Maybe he's not up to it, Lei," her smile turned challenging, "Maybe he doesn't have the balls to take us both on." Okay, Sasuke thought, that's the last straw.

"I have the balls," he smirked in grim satisfaction, "But neither of you do. It's that little fact that makes you totally uninteresting to me. Now," he quickly used their confusion to his advantage, "I have better things to do with my time. Excuse me." He broke free and moved quickly away through the crowd.

But when he crossed those last few yards and finally reached the table, Sai was gone.

* * *

><p>Hidden by the crowd, Sai could see Sasuke standing by the table he'd just vacated. It seemed he'd moved just in time. He slipped away, moving behind others whenever the Uchiha's eyes scanned in his direction. Travelling around to the other side of the bar, Sai lost sight of Sasuke as he sought a new post with a view of the couples. Calculating angles, he wandered until he was finally able to slide into a newly vacated bar seat.<p>

He ordered a drink, spending the time until it arrived checking his environs. It clearly wasn't as optimal as his last location, he mused, but for now it would have to do. Maybe he could move to better location after the moody Uchiha left the area. He'd avoid him and hope he got over his irritation. It was better than becoming part of a possible altercation. He absently nodded a greeting to the Nara and the Akimichi further up the bar, opening his sketch pad to a new page.

* * *

><p>"Oh my," Kakashi's interested murmur caught Sakura's attention. She followed his gaze to a woman with sleek, shoulder length red hair and smoky dark eyes. Her burgundy leather outfit had a distinctly predatory edge to it. Sakura could easily envision it accessorized with a coiled whip attached on the belt, or maybe wrapped around the strikingly sexy body with the handle draped negligently over one creamy shoulder for quick use. She frowned as the woman slunk past with feline grace before turning back.<p>

"Someone you know?" it came out colder and sharper than she intended. Damn, it made her sound jealous, she thought, wincing. And she wasn't. Not at all. Really. Like she really cared what kind of women Baka-Sensei was interested in, anyway. Not happening, she firmly insisted to herself, belligerently biting into an inoffensive roll.

"More like someone Ebisu knows," his eye twinkled at her. "I've never had the dubious pleasure. This might be interesting. Yura's known to be a bit too… territorial at times. I wonder how Tenten'll handle it." Sakura gave the redhead a longer measuring look before sniffing dismissively.

"My money's on Tenten," she told him, "She'll crush her like a bug."

"So certain, Sakura," he gave her an interested look, "Yura is an older and um…more experienced woman. Very experienced in certain unusual areas, so I've heard."

"Are you implying she's a bit kinky or something?" she eyed him.

"I wouldn't call it 'a bit'," he grinned. Her eyebrows rose. They both watched the redhead pause; stare with a narrow eyed frown, then beeline toward their friends' table.

"Looks like we're getting an unexpected dinner show," Kakashi observed, "Crush her like a bug, huh? But are you certain enough to bet on it?"

"What kind of stakes are you thinking of?" she tilted her head, sipping her drink as she considered.

* * *

><p>"Ebi-Baby! You naughty boy, why haven't you called me?" a throaty voice purred behind them.<p>

Tenten looked up to find a redhead eyeing her date with a predatory smile. Automatically, she glanced at Ebisu. He'd frozen in his seat, his glass halfway to his mouth and a faintly panicked look on his face. With studied care he lowered the glass, turning to the intruder with a feeble grin.

"Y-Yura! What are you doing here?" he could feel sweat start to bead on his forehead. Her laugh was low and sexy, as she shifted closer to him, the deep burgundy of her outfit gleaming softly in the bar lighting.

"My boring day was turning into a boring night, so I thought I'd stop in for a drink," she swept back a lock of her sleek shoulder length hair.

"O-oh, really," Ebisu stammered. He glanced uncertainly at Tenten, trying to gauge her reaction. She was eyeing the finely textured leather vest, skirt and thigh length stiletto heeled boots with envy, wondering how the outfit would look on her and if she could get the name of the shop.

"And look who I find," Yura exposed generous cleavage as she bent, letting her hands roam over his shoulders to link around his neck, "One of my favourite distractions. Talk about perfect timing. I've had my eye on a new toy in Happy Ending." As she named the notorious local sex shop, Tenten raised amused brows. "I bought it this morning and I'm dying to try it out. Braided kangaroo leather," Yura's moan was almost sexual.

"Y-you did? Y-you are?" Ebisu felt like moaning himself. His carefully preserved reputation was crashing and burning, right in front of Tenten. There was no telling what she made of all this. Her reactions hadn't been very enlightening.

"Yes, I am, Ebi-Baby, very badly. You know how I am when I'm feeling…," she leaned closer to sigh into his ear, "…bad. You're so fond of high quality leather too." Tenten watched with interest, mentally ticking off another two seduction tactics straight out of the Icha Icha manual. It was almost like Yura was methodically going down the list, she mused, as she tried to add up all the ones she'd seen so far.

* * *

><p>"I don't know, Sakura," Kakashi eyed the action, "Tenten isn't doing any crushing, bug or otherwise. Yura seems to be ruling the field. Are you sure you don't want to rethink that bet?"<p>

"Oh, please," she casually popped a morsel in her mouth, "Tenten just isn't taking her seriously. I mean, look at her," she waved at the redhead, "She's coming on to Ebisu like a…a…stereotyped dominatrix in a really bad porn movie. It's almost unreal. I wouldn't take her seriously either."

"I suppose that's possible," he conceded, "A stereotyped dominatrix, huh? I wasn't aware you had such… broad understanding of porn, Sakura…" she choked on a mouthful, "…bad or otherwise. Maybe your recent foray into Icha Icha wasn't as unplanned as I originally thought." He shook his head in mock sorrow, "Where did my innocent little Sakura-chan go? I remember when you thought condoms were weirdly shaped emergency balloons," he mourned. She hastily glanced around before throwing a pea at him.

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you," she hissed, blushing, "I was twelve years old, for crying out loud, only a few weeks out of the Academy. And I wasn't the only one. Naruto and Sasuke helped me blow them up."

"And we now know how they turned out," he waggled his brow at her, "Besides; I gave you all extra points for resourcefulness, despite your invasion of my backpack."

"After you nearly fell out of a tree laughing. And you took embarrassment points off for having to explain what they were really for," she shuddered in memory, "Like you were the one suffering the most embarrassment…or trauma. I couldn't look any of you in the eye for the rest of the mission," he grinned nostalgically as she threw another pea at him, "At the first opportunity I spent over an hour and an entire bottle of mouthwash gargling." Another pea was launched in his direction.

"And why," she pointed her fork at him, "Do you even carry so many - of all different kinds - with you?" she gestured questioningly, "I've always wondered about that."

"A shinobi must be ready for any contingency," he piously intoned. Without thinking she snorted, nearly spitting out her mouthful. She wiped her mouth with her napkin, pinning him with a sardonic look

"Sure," she observed sarcastically, "You never know when the enemy will suddenly appear and engage you in a deadly life or death orgy. Well," she continued over his laughter, "Either you're a very hopeful wishful thinker or Team Seven's had a really long run of bad luck with opponents all these years." She threw a last pea at him before pointedly turning back to the show.

* * *

><p>"And I just went grocery shopping," Yura was breathing into Ebisu's ear, "I have a wonderful chocolate pudding mix as well as strawberries and fresh whipping cream," her smile was suggestive, "I've got such a…hunger…for it. I love the way you make it. You really know how to whip it," she stressed the last two words, reiterating, "You whip it good, Ebi-Baby." And it was official, he reflected, face flaming, the remains of his good name had now been publicly flushed down the toilet.<p>

Tenten suppressed a grin as she followed the clues. Oh, my, she thought, how…interesting. This really was beginning to sound like something out of Icha Icha. Maybe she'd better rescue Ebi-Baby before the big bad redhead decided to eat him – among other things.

"After all, it's not like you're doing anything interesting anyway, unless you consider childcare fascinating," Yura flicked a quick scathing look of dismissal at Tenten, "So, why don't you send your baby sister home. It's probably past her bedtime. Come with me and spend the evening with a real woman."

An indignantly shriek of _Oh, no, she didn't_, rang through Tenten's brain as her eyes snapped to her challenger's face. She slowly straightened in her chair. Swiftly, she evaluated the intruder with a practiced look hot enough to ignite.

The eye catching outfit had several impracticalities no kunoichi would tolerate and though the owner appeared athletic, she wasn't anywhere near a shinobi's level. A civilian then, Tenten concluded. Unfortunate, that meant her first preference, to take her down with extreme prejudice, was automatically restricted. She gripped the table with fingers itching to cause mayhem, her mind flashing through various strategies that wouldn't get her arrested, as she replied with an icy smile.

"Baby sister, huh? I suppose that's better than looking like his mother," her hot gaze swept suggestively up and down. Yura, eyes narrowing, straightened, turning toward her with one hand still on Ebisu's shoulder. They sized each other up, instinctively generating a competitive intent to protect their 'territory', which rapidly increased to a palpable force. Trapped in the middle, Ebisu sat perfectly still, only his eyes moving to and fro between them.

"Maybe you are older than you look. I should've known. They usually don't serve jail bait in here," Yura sneered. Tenten's smile grew colder.

"Oh, I'm all grown up," she let her gaze roam over the other woman's body again, "And from the looks of you, you're overgrown. Or is it 'overblown'? I always get the two mixed up. Or maybe 'fake' is the word I'm thinking of?" For a second Yura almost quivered with fury. Her gaze locked onto the younger woman's. Then she smiled mockingly as she began to blatantly caress Ebisu's shoulders and neck.

"Be careful when you play with the big girls. We know all the best tricks and how to use them," she purred while Ebisu's eyes widened. Tenten just smiled back, her eyes on hers, while, unnoticed, she slipped a foot out of a shoe under the table.

"Really, I'd call that rather crude," her eyes flicked casually to the hand fondling her date, then locked again with her rival's. Meanwhile her foot began to travel up and down Ebisu's inner lower leg, from instep to knee. He involuntarily convulsed, an eye twitching.

"Then I'll just have to do better," Yura's hand disappeared down his shirt with a satisfied smirk. Ebisu voiced a faint. "Eep," as she ran it over his chest, finding and fondling each nipple in turn. Her stare into Tenten's eyes was a clear challenge that was accepted with a quirked brow and a cool look.

"Still not impressed," Tenten's foot began to massage above his knee, working upward and inward. His eyes darted between them desperately as his shivers became tremors. He unconsciously parted his legs, giving her more access as her foot merrily went on its way. She let bored amusement reflect in her eyes. Yura's, eyes narrowed, then her glower suddenly turned into a sly smile.

* * *

><p>Sasuke, cautiously weighing the best way to avoid Naruto and Hinata, was caught cold by the nearby blast of intent. Instinctively activating his sharingan, he spun to face the threat before realising his mistake. He had a moment to recognise Tenten facing off with a redhead before said redhead's hand plunged down Ebisu's shirt, followed by Tenten's one foot assault up his leg. With a sense of unreality Sasuke realised they were on a collision course with Ebisu's genitals.<p>

As the drama unfolded before his shocked eyes, he stood immobile, his jaw sagging and a resounding _what the fuck_ echoing in his mind. It was like indirectly living one of his worst fan girl induced nightmares. He was totally unaware of the mute shinobi exchange that'd started up about the show in progress.

And he completely forgot to deactivate his sharingan.

* * *

><p>Sai'd just noticed Kakashi and Sakura's increased interest in Tenten's table when a sudden spike of strong intent snapped his attention there as well. Momentarily, he was confused, due to its similarity to killing intent. But, taking in Tenten's situation, he realised its purpose was territorial rivalry. It seemed another woman was challenging her for Ebisu. He mourned the loss of his last observation point which would've given him a front seat to the show. His present position was tolerable but he feared blockage of his view if curiosity increased the crowd.<p>

"Sai," an unexpected quiet voice spoke behind him, "Do you have any idea what's happening?" He glanced over his shoulder to see the Nara and the Akimichi, who'd also been alerted.

"An unknown woman has interrupted Tenten's date with Ebisu. I assume, from her actions, it's a female acquaintance of his with jealousy issues. The two women seem to be competing for him," he replied. The two glanced at each other.

"Tenten and Ebisu?" Chouji blinked, "Huh, I always thought she was interested in Neji. I wouldn't have thought Ebisu-Sensei was her type. Didn't Naruto claim he was some sort of secret pervert? Shikamaru looked thoughtful.

"It could be the latest round of the Kunoichi games," he deduced, "In which case, Ino's likely involved, perhaps Sakura and Hinata too." Impressed, Sai nodded confirmation. The Nara continued, "What sort of competition? I hope Tenten's not in a fight with a civilian."

"No, they aren't attacking each other, though it is oddly physical. Currently they're competing by sexually molesting Ebisu in public," he informed them. They gaped at him.

"Um," Chouji scratched the spiral on one cheek, "You wouldn't mind pointing out their table, would you?"

* * *

><p>"See. Told you," Sakura smirked. "Tenten would've squashed her by now but her being a civilian means she has to use more… refined tactics."<p>

"Refined?" Kakashi debated breaking out the sharingan, "That's not the word I'd use. Is there even a word for it?" he mused, "Public porn by any other name… I don't know whether to pity or envy Ebisu." He shook his head at the conundrum.

"Isn't two girls at once a popular male fantasy?" blushing, she studied the Special Jounin, a bit shocked at Tenten's nerve for doing…that…in the middle of a crowded restaurant. She'd amputate her own tongue, though, before she let Kakashi know it.

"Been hitting the psychiatry books lately, have you? In a more private location, sure," he absently began to hum, "Unless you're all exhibitionists."

"Or a pervert?" the song he was humming tickled her memory. She swore she knew it from somewhere.

"Not Ebisu's type of perversion," he grinned, "He's always tried to keep his perverted streak a secret to maintain an unimpeachable reputation. Not that it always works. It's not hard to figure out. Besides," he tilted his head slightly so he could fully follow the action, "I'm not sure how much of his… compliance… is due to enjoying this or just sensible terror from the sheer territorial intent those two are throwing out. I've faced deadly enemies who emitted killing intent with less force. Most of the shinobi in here are picking up on it." She glanced around and admitted he was right. They weren't the only ones interested. Even a wildly blushing Hinata and gaping Naruto had eyes glued to the scene. There was even a silent commentary going on between interested shinobi observers.

Damn, what was that song Kakashi was humming? It was driving her crazy because the words were on the tip of her tongue. She irritably shook her head and returned to the clash on the battlefield of Ebisu. Yura was working a downhill offensive while Tenten waged a cunning covert uphill defence. Kakashi hummed in the background. Then the coin finally dropped and she gasped, pinning him with an accusing look.

"What," he grinned mischievously at her, totally unrepentant, "You can't say it isn't… apt."

"Yeah, right," she failed to choke back a laugh, "I can't believe you at times. Now every time I hear that song I'm going to think of this." She turned back with the words rolling repeatedly through her mind:

'_Oh! You'll take the high road,_

_And I'll take the low road,_

_And I'll be in Iwa before you'. _

* * *

><p>"Well, then I'll just have to go straight to my favourite," flashing a quick, wicked look into Ebisu's eyes, Yura's hand dipping lower still, with a teasing singsong of, "All the way!" He helplessly watched it travel over his stomach muscles. As it circled his navel, a faint drawn out wheeze escaped him, like a kettle about to over boil, before her fingers tangled in his pubic hair, following it down, under his belt. The redhead smiled in triumph at Tenten.<p>

"Oh please," Tenten smiled serenely back, "You're so late and redundant. Isn't she, Ebisu?" Perplexed, Yura glanced at Ebisu, who was staring at his own lap. She looked down to where Tenten's foot happily massaged his crotch, while he followed its manipulations with bemused interest. She flushed with rage, pulling her hand out of Ebisu's shirt with a savage hiss. The insubstantial cloud of intent around them took a distinctly hostile turn.

* * *

><p>An elbow in the ribs jarred Sasuke loose from the ongoing trauma. Snapping his jaw shut, he glanced sideways to see a Chuunin he recognised from the mission desk. When the cheerfully leering man indicated his own eyes with a temple tap followed by a gesture toward Sasuke's, he blinked, puzzled.<p>

Then his eyes widened in horror as the hammer dropped, realising his sharingan had been activated throughout the whole ordeal. He face palmed, swearing vehemently under his breath as he deactivated it with a cross blink and a groan, knowing its recording ability had burned the incident into his memory. Now, no matter how hard he tried, he could never unsee it. He grimaced thanks to the amused Chuunin.

Then their attention was yanked back to a worsening situation as the intent abruptly turned hostile and he became aware of the silent dialogue around him. He began to follow it, as the older Chuunin occasionally contributed. When several shinobi indicated a specific dining table, he looked, astonished to see Kakashi and Sakura there.

* * *

><p>"That doesn't feel good," Sakura instinctively tensed for action. She wasn't the only one. In her periphery she could see others on alert and the silent dialogue was now about a course of action. Naruto, his squabble set aside, was signalling Kakashi. As he acknowledged it, she turned her head slightly to follow the exchange, noting Hinata doing the same, as were several others in the vicinity.<p>

"_Do we step in?"_ Naruto's eyes asked, flicking quickly from Kakashi to the conflict. The Jounin calmly evaluated the scene, and then made a palm down gesture with a quick eye flick at Ebisu.

"_No, give Ebisu the chance to handle it first."_ The tension noticeably decreased around them as others readily accepted the Jounin's situational call. Sakura uncomfortably examined Yura's face, and then met Hinata's eyes. The shy Hyuuga's worry mirrored her own.

"Are you sure that's wise, Kakashi-Sensei?" confident in Tenten though she was, she didn't want to see her get in trouble.

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Sakura," his hand covered her reassuringly; "Ebisu's a Special Jounin. This is well within his capabilities."

"Alright, if you say so." she glanced over to see Naruto leaning to talk earnestly with Hinata before returning her attention to Tenten.

* * *

><p>"Don't worry, Hinata," Naruto's hand covered hers, "Kaka-Sensei's pretty good at sussing out a situation. If he says it'll be fine, it will."<p>

"I hope so, Naruto," she said softly, her heart beating impossibly fast at the contact, "I…I just don't want Tenten to get in trouble."

"Just watch," he reassured her, "It'll be fine. Believe it!"

* * *

><p>As the intent turned hostile, Sai rose from his seat. The three followed the silent shinobi debate that flashed around the restaurant.<p>

"This isn't good," Shikamaru keenly observed the scene, "Even if a civilian incites the situation, it'll go against Tenten if she does anything. Troublesome."

"Should we move in?" Chouji measured the crowd, "It might take time to get over there."

"Wait," Sai indicated Kakashi's table. They watched as he and Naruto conversed.

"I'll go with that," Shikamaru nodded as the Jounin's made his decision known. Sai eased back down in his seat.

* * *

><p>"Let me guess. You're a kuniochi, aren't you? I should've known," Yura's eyes raked up and down Tenten, her voice harsh and ugly, "You filthy little bitch!" She didn't notice Ebisu's head jerk up as he frowned at her.<p>

"Oh, honey," Tenten's eyes narrowed as she snarled back, "I'd return the favour but I wouldn't insult the canine species. The ninken wouldn't like it." It'd be worth arrest, she mused, if it meant she could beat Yura to a pulp. She removed her foot from Ebisu's lap, carefully slipping her other shoe off to ensure her footing.

"You're all the same," the redhead sneered, "Every single one of you was born a worthless whore." She stepped forward, her nails like claws, striking out at Tenten, who watched it come, eager for the excuse.

With a lightening interception from his seat, Ebisu caught it long before it landed. Disappointed, Tenten turned to find him regarding her with open contrition. Then he turned a striking look of cold distaste on Yura.

"E-Ebisu…?" unnerved, Yura gasped, trying to pull away from his steely grip.

"Yura," his voice was soft, ice cold, infinitely dangerous, "How dare you insult one of the kunoichi who protect this village. None are 'whores', worthless or otherwise. That was inexcusable. You were the one intruding on our," he stressed the word, "Date. I'd insist you apologise but I doubt any would be sufficient. I think you'd best leave. You've made a spectacle of yourself to the other patrons," he inclined his head, drawing her attention to their many watchers, "Who might not be as…lenient to such a deliberate insult." She uneasily looked around, now aware of many annoyed looks aimed her way.

"It'd probably be best for you to be less…noticeable for a while," he continued with soft menace, "Maybe travel might be best. Whatever you decide," his eyes were glacial, "I'd appreciate it if you never attempt to approach or speak to me…ever. If you do, I will not be responsible for the consequences." She stared at him, like a bird mesmerised by a snake, her face slowly blanching as his words sunk in.

"I suggest," he released her hand as if it burned him, "you hurry." With another uneasy look around, Yura moved away. The crowd shrank back, as if loathe being near her, leaving a noticeable space to mark her passing. Thus unimpeded, her pace quickened until she was nearly running when she reached the door.

"That was…impressive. Do you really think she's in danger?" Tenten looked curiously at him.

"I'd be more worried for anyone who tried," he growled, unable to believe he'd ever been attracted to the woman, "Stupidity might be contagious." Taking a deep breath, he turned to her, "I'm truly sorry, Tenten. I should've stopped her before it deteriorated to such an extent. I never knew she harboured such a baseless prejudice. I'll understand if you want to end our date."

"Why are you apologising?" she smiled warmly, touched, "It's not your fault she decided to show up tonight. She's responsible for her own actions, not you. It's not something to ruin our evening over."

"You…want to continue?" he gave her a relieved smile as she confirmed with a nod.

"Though," her eyes danced at him, "I was disappointed to lose the chance to belt her one. You owe me for that." It surprised a laugh out of him.

"What would you consider adequate repayment?" he turned away, signalling to catch a waitress's eye, completely missing the devious speculation in her face.

"I don't know. We'll have to discuss it," she mischievously ran a foot from his instep to his knee. His head snapped back to her with an audible gulp.

"And just FYI," her purr was teasing, "I happen to have a noteworthy collection of all kinds of…um… exceptional quality leatherwork myself. In fact, when it comes to leather and being able to…'whip it'? No one," she went in for the kill, "Does it better than a weapons mistress…Ebi-Baby."

"I-I'll be sure to remember that," he breathed.

* * *

><p>"Well, that's that," Shikamaru concluded as the woman fled through the crowd.<p>

"That was impressive," Sai made a mental note to discuss Ebisu's interesting reaction with Yamato.

"Yeah, I didn't know Ebisu-Sensei had it in him," Chouji nodded agreement. The two said their goodbyes to Sai before continuing on their way.

* * *

><p>"I still say Ebisu stepping in negates the bet," Kakashi looked forlornly into his glass. Sakura, in the midst of her own triumphant sip, pointed a stern finger as she swallowed.<p>

"You're not getting out of it," she scolded him. "Tenten was definitely ahead on points in the battle of Ebisu and we agreed she'd have won the catfight. His stepping in doesn't change the inevitable." She studied him, "You would've held me to it if you'd won. I've had to jump out of Yamato's birthday cake dressed in Icha Icha lingerie carrying your present for him. Talk about embarrassing. And why would you give another guy the Kama Sutra anyway?" she looked suspiciously at him, "Is there something you haven't told me, Kakashi?"

"Sakura," his air was hurt, "You know how easy it is for my Kohai to get stuck in a rut. As his Sempai, I have to look out for him, that's all. He needs more spice in his life. It's good for him."

"Sure," she smirked, "I've seen how you spice up his life. It's usually followed by him chasing you around the village, swearing he'll use wood release to hang you upside down naked from the first Hokage's nose. In view of your taste in birthday presents, I just wondered if I'd been missing deeper meaning in the 'naked' part."

"You wound me," she didn't trust his virtuous look for a second, "or maybe you're so interested in the 'naked' part because you have…" he eyed her passionately as he purred, "…designs on me." As she spluttered, he leaned over to pop a grape into her mouth. She hastily chewed.

"That's not going to work," she informed him, "And don't even try to give me some line about it being unreasonable. You agreed if you lost you'd entertain the kids stuck in the hospital on Konoha's Children's Day."

"I assumed I'd just be showing up and performing a few small jutsu or tricks," Kakashi grumbled, "You didn't mention the fine details until after I agreed."

"'When you assume you make an ass of u and me'," she gaily quoted, "I don't see what you're so worried about."

"My manly reputation for one," he morosely picked at his plate.

"You're making too much of a big deal out of this," she patted his hand, "It's not like everyone who know you will be there…probably," she grinned at his wince, "And even if they were, the odds of them recognising you are…" she held up a hand showing him her index finger and thumb nearly touching each other, "… really small."

"But costumes, Sakura?" he gave her a pained look, "Of…of…" he couldn't get it out. It was too horrible to think of, let alone speak aloud.

"They're not so bad," she waved reassuringly at him, "I'm sure you'll look fine. Now, what do you want to be – a Sailor Scout, a Magical Kitty, Spongebob, He-man…Pikachu?"

"Gee…tough choice," he gagged, "They all sound so… peachy."

* * *

><p>Sasuke shook his head, still recovering from the unexpected x-rated clash. He threw another wary glance at Tenten. Apparently, even girls he'd considered 'safe' were capable of being impulsive and perilous creatures. It reinforced his desire to avoid contact with Hinata. To that end he took care to keep out of sight behind the crowd as he passed the table where she and Naruto sat.<p>

When this took him near the bar he ordered another refill. As he waited, he glanced curiously at Kakashi and Sakura. He'd been surprised to see them but assumed it was due to Ino's challenge to Sakura. They certainly seemed to be enjoying each other's company. As he watched, he was struck by the naturalness of their behaviour and leaned on the bar to consider. Was there a real attraction between them? He supposed it was possible, despite the age difference. He was relieved Sakura was moving on with her life after that silly childhood infatuation, but it felt strange, seeing her interested in someone else.

The bartender returned with his drink as he scanned the area for Sai. When he didn't see him, he wondered if the ex-ROOT agent had left. Taking his drink, he meandered toward the entrance. Had he missed his only chance to find Sai in the limited time remaining? He sighed, discouraged. He was debating leaving when he was hailed.

"Hey," Shikamaru casually strolled up with a grinning Chouji. "Did you have a good seat for Tenten's surprise exhibition?"

"Let's just say I saw more than I wanted," he replied, hesitating before asking, "Was she always so… uninhibited? It's not how I expected her to be."

"It's a girl thing," they all glanced at the table in question, "They can change in an instant. Why do you think they're so troublesome?" Chouji snorted at his familiar refrain.

"To you all girls are troublesome," he cheerfully ignored his friend's mutter of "Because they are" as he turned to the Uchiha. "We were thinking of getting takeout and going someplace quieter. You can join us if you're interested."

"I appreciate the offer, but if I leave, I think I'll just go home," looking around, Sasuke added without thinking, "I didn't find who I was looking for."

"Who's that? The love of your life?" Chouji's question startled him. He hadn't realised he'd said it aloud.

"Um…" he thought fast, "Actually I was hoping to find Sai to clear up some small details about our last mission. One of his ink clones was involved, so he might be able to help."

"Last we saw him, he was over on the other side of the bar," Shikamaru gestured with a thumb, "We were with him during the excitement and left when it was over. He might still be there."

"I'd better go see," Sasuke glanced in that direction, "Thanks." He nodded farewell as he moved off.

"Yeah, don't mention it," the Nara called back as the two friends went on their way.

* * *

><p>Hinata couldn't get what she'd witnessed out of her mind. She blushed, reminded of a scene from Icha Icha Tactics and what it'd been the prelude to. She reached for her drink, only becoming aware her hand shook slightly as she tried to grasp it.<p>

"Are you alright, Hinata?" Naruto's regard was concerned.

"I'm fine, really," she smiled reassuringly at him, "I think I'm still… keyed up from before, with Tenten."

"Yeah, that was something, wasn't it?" he grinned, blue eyes bright with mirth, "I couldn't believe she did that either. And you know, until the end there, Ebisu was enjoying it waaay to much. Believe it!" He shook his head, chuckling for a second before sobering. He looked at her with a faintly puzzled look, "But I don't get what Tenten sees in that closet perv. I didn't think he'd be her type. I thought she liked Neji."

"Neji…tends to be very reserved," she said slowly as she considered, "It's very hard to read him at times, even when you know him well. I think…it would be very frustrating for any girl interested in him, even if she were very tolerant. Also, with Tenten, the added complication of being on the same team can be either a curse or a blessing if you're not careful. It's a big step, not one to be taken lightly." She tilted a hand back and forth, "It can be hard, especially for shinobi, to maintain a balance between your personal and professional lives. I think even if he's interested, he's been… hesitant. To her, it might come across as disinterest."

"Huh," he scratched his whiskered cheek, "I thought it was pretty common for people to be interested in their team mates. You hear or see it all the time. I mean, Tsunade-baa-chan was Jiraiya's team mate. I had a real crush on Sakura for the longest time, while she had one for Sasuke. I bet I could name several people, older than us, who married their team mate."

"I know,' she nodded agreement, "I think…it comes from going through so much with them. You see them at their best and worst; get to know them on so many levels. It's easy for that bond to change to something more intimate," she blushed again, "Like being lovers. But again, it's a balancing act. It's difficult to see a friend in danger," her voice softened with personal knowledge, "Its worse when it's the person you love. Even if you're guarding their back, there's a danger of it interfering with the mission. It's…a difficulty the two have to resolve at some point. Some can, some…have to find another solution. That's why when two team mates decide to marry, sometimes one changes to another team or even takes solo missions in or near the village. And, of course, if there are children, it's common for one to stay at home to take care of them," she regarded him with quiet sincerity.

"Wow, Hinata," impressed, Naruto stared at admiringly her, "How do you know so much? You must've really thought about this." She hid her smile shyly with her hand, enjoying his reaction.

"Well…I have, but it's more than that,' she explained, "When you're born in a clan, there are so many stories and examples around you. You can't help but learn from it."

"Yeah," he grinned wryly, rubbing the back of his neck, "I can see that. You know, he hesitated, wistfully serious, "Sometimes…I wish…" he shook his head, unable to continue. Touched, she understood.

"Naruto," she impulsively reached to lay her hand over his, "You may not have a family you share blood with but," she squeezed it reassuringly, "You have plenty of family you share your heart with." She diffidently admitted, "I-I've always admired that about you, your ability to open your heart to people and accept them into your life. I…" she glanced shyly down, "I…wish I could be as brave as you."

"Hinata," he blushed, staring at her incredulously as he upturned his hand to capture hers, "You're one of the bravest people I know. Don't you realise that?" as she looked up with an uncertain smile, he firmly nodded confirmation, "You're just quieter about it than most people," blue eyes dancing, he grinned unrepentantly, "Not like me, Lee or Kiba." He thought her answering smile was amazing. It was humbling and hard to believe it was due to something he'd said.

"H-hey," he blushed, stuttering, suddenly awkward and tongue-tied, "R-remember when we went to find the bikōchū beetle?"

* * *

><p>Leaning casually on the bar, on the lookout for a familiar face, Sasuke looked searchingly up along one side of its gleaming counter. Again it was the practiced hand moving over paper that identified its owner. He marked its location before shoving off the bar, making his way around to Sai through the crowd. When he was close enough to see his back through the throng, Sasuke paused to go over his options.<p>

He had doubts about the casually friendly approach. Their work relationship had always been too reserved on both sides for it to be believable. Even the pretext of courtesy might be suspect. He catalogued and discarded several possibilities before shaking his head with a sigh, concluding his best choice to initiate conversation was the story he'd given Yamato, Shikamaru and Chouji. Taking a deep breath, he calmed his nerves and resolutely began to move.

Remembering last time, he decided on a cautious approach, hoping Sai wouldn't notice until it was too late to escape. Slowly he advanced on the ex-ROOT agent, using the crowd to his advantage. Only a few yards away, he paused, fixed on his target. It was a mistake.

"There you are," a girl's voice, alarmingly familiar, whispered cheerfully in his ear.

"We've been looking all over for you, handsome!" a second joined it, as a determined hand grasped his arm, "We're not as fragile as you seem to think. We're fine, fun and up for anything you can dish out… you bad boy."

With a dismal sense of déjà vu, he identifying the relentless fan girls he'd escaped earlier, apparently back for round two. He looked away, unhappily measuring the remaining distance, culminating in a frustrated glare on the oblivious Sai's back. Grimly, he pried the hand off his arm, taking a dogged step forward. They both latched on, tightening their grips and, to his growing horror, began to whisper unbelievably lewd suggestions in his ears.

* * *

><p>A disturbance from behind had Sai investigating in the overhead bar mirror. To his amazement, the same girls from earlier were accosting Sasuke again. They'd latched onto the Uchiha like giggling leeches while he discretely struggled to extricate himself from their clutches. As he freed an arm, Sai saw him aim a fierce look toward the bar. Was the wildly blushing Uchiha in such desperate need for a drink, he wondered, or did he have another objective in mind?<p>

He ran a speculative eye over the patrons seated on each side of him, comparing faces against those of the people from his previous location. When he couldn't come up with a match, he sent another searching look into the mirror at Sasuke.

* * *

><p>This is unreal, Sasuke thought as he pried one arm free. He couldn't believe these two had so completely misinterpreted what he'd said earlier. He'd plainly told them he wasn't interested and why. Well, maybe he hadn't come right out and said he was gay but he'd definitely implied it. Did they get the hint? No. Instead they thought it'd been a…a sexual challenge. And his mortified blush deepened at their wild suggestions of what that challenge might involve.<p>

They'd run through the gamut from simple costumed role-play to involved scenarios straight out of fetishists' fantasies. There'd been a shockingly long list of sexual aides, along with a variety of implements for 'punishment'. But it'd been the numerous hair-raising proposals featuring food that'd been an eye-opener for Sasuke, giving grocery shopping to a whole new ghastly perspective. He'd heard, who hadn't, about chocolate sauce and whipped cream, but honey…just about every kind of sauce and condiment…noodles (the enticingly sexy image of Naruto, nude, covered in ramen, almost froze him long enough to prove disastrous)…sausage…vegetables?

Oh, god, vegetables.

He'd had no idea of the sheer versatility of vegetables. He was seriously rethinking his fondness for tomatoes. He'd never be able to visit the produce section without wondering if the other shoppers were buying salad ingredients or weird, organically grown sex toys.

And there sat Sai, only a short distance away…again. Attempting to block out his assailants' disturbing chatter, Sasuke grimly focussed on the ex-ROOT agent. Manoeuvring his other arm toward freedom, he managing to gain ground in Sai's direction before another wicked whisper in his ear made him shudder. How the hell was he going to get rid of these two so he could get to him? He glared intently at the man's back, before turning back to his double dose of trouble.

* * *

><p>Did Sasuke just glare in his direction? Should he move again? Indecisively, Sai glanced across the bar toward his other three objectives. He couldn't guarantee he'd find another acceptable location if he moved again. In the mirror, he noted Sasuke'd gotten his other arm free. The Uchiha glared hotly in his direction before turning back to the girls. Sai sighed. It seemed he had a decision to make.<p>

* * *

><p>"I keep telling you, I'm not interested," Sasuke ground out, all too aware they were gaining an audience. He quickly checked Sai's location with his periphery vision.<p>

"But we want to play," the brunette demurely batted her eyes at him, "Don't we, Kara?" The blonde giggled, leaning to show her cleavage.

"Yeah, we're up for anything," she went for his arm, "And we're not giving up until you say yes." He quickly moved out of her reach, wary of turning his back on them. The brunette smirked at the blonde, and then moved closer to Sasuke. She opened her purse, tilting it to show its contents as she reached in.

"Look what I've got," he could see a pair of fuzzy handcuffs, complete with a key in the lock, "We could have a lot of fun with these."

"We could take turns," the blonde winked, "And do…anything…our wicked little hearts desire." Sasuke hesitated, eyeing the cuffs, an idea forming despite the revulsion roiling in his stomach. He tried to do another discreet periphery check, but a crowd was in the way. He switched his gaze to the mirror, noting Sai, sketchpad in hand, move to stand. He was running out of time. He had to do something…now.

"Alright," he said slowly, smirking at them, "Why don't we go over to the bar and discuss it?" He put an arm around each to usher them over as the two girls grinned triumphantly at each other. Behind them, he caught a glimpse of Sai before the movement of the crowd hid him from view, slipping away along the bar, toward the back of the room.

If he didn't know it was impossible, he groused, he'd swear the guy was doing it on purpose. Damn! This was too much trouble to go through just to get rejected. He turned back to the matter at hand.

As they neared the bar, he lifted the cuffs from the brunette's purse. Before the two were aware, he'd quickly unlocked them, securing one cuff on the brunette's wrist before threading the other cuff through the bar rail, snapping it around the blonde's. Then he stepped back

"Hey," the blonde blinked down at her wrist, "What…?" She instinctively yanked on her wrist, provoking a yelp of protest from her friend. They stared incredulously at him.

"H-hey, why did you do that?" the brunette smiled uneasily. Putting her purse on the bar, she began looking through it, "Where's the key?"

"You mean this key?" he tossed it from hand to hand. Their eyes followed it.

"Good joke," the blonde grinned at him, as the brunette nodded agreement, "Now, come on, hurry up and unlock us, so we can go have fun."

"Hmmm…" he crossed his arms, head tilted, considering, "…nah. Don't think so." Their eyes widened in disbelief.

"What? Why?" the brunette wailed, "Why are you doing this?"

"You're taking a time out for bad behaviour," he smirked, turning away, "Until you learn to take 'no' for an answer." Grinning, he listened to them alternate between pleas and curses as he moved off in pursuit of Sai, casually tossing the key over his shoulder into the crowd.

* * *

><p>It was almost over, Sakura realised wistfully. They'd order and eat dessert, then leave soon after. Her evening with Kakashi was almost over and it didn't seem possible. The time had passed too quickly, felt too short. They'd been having so much fun she wasn't ready to leave yet. So she intentionally lingered over the remains of their meal.<p>

Their conversation had come to a natural lull but she didn't feel compelled to fill it. There was nothing discomfiting about their silence, only a mutual, comfortable contentment, of togetherness, like an oasis in the midst of the muted background chatter. And in a quiet inexpressible way it was more powerfully intimate than if they'd loudly bared their souls. She toyed with her fork, regarding the man across the table in quiet contemplation from beneath lowered lashes.

How had her awareness of him changed so much in so little time? Just a week ago, if someone told her she'd have these thoughts, these feelings about him, she'd have called them crazy. She'd have laughed about it and then forgot it. How had her every step, action and word since that night at Ino's led to this? How had she gone from being surprised to learn her friends thought Kakashi was sexy to the emotional rollercoaster of her own attraction to him? How had she gone from the simple feelings of friendship to sexual desire?

It was like…having an old trunk sitting in plain sight for years. Swearing you knew every detail, every worn spot, on occasion idly wondering about the possibly interesting contents but never really taking the time to investigate. Until one day you did…open it…and discovered it'd been Pandora's Box the whole time. That was exactly how she felt. She'd opened Pandora's Box and now could never close it again.

And…in all honesty…she didn't want to. She wanted to explore her new perspective of this astonishing man sitting with her. So she secretly scrutinized his features, now seeing what she'd sworn was so familiar in compelling new ways.

She'd always just described the gravity defying hair as 'silver' and, beyond a vague surprise at it's softness on a few occasions she'd sat vigil at his hospital bedside, never really given thought to it. Now she noticed how each spiky lock continuously shifted in hue as he moved, ranging in the restaurant lighting from bright white to deepest pewter, even the faintest hints of blue grey. It conjured comparisons to moonlight on snow or the soft plush of animal fur, making her yearn to run her fingers through it.

That single dark eye's cleverness at spotting the smallest details without fail, chiefly the ones you wished he wouldn't, was a trait she'd cursed on many occasions. She'd thought herself familiar with its many moods, from his signature eye smile to the lethal coldness he used to stare down the deadliest of opponents, with or without the rarely seen sharingan. Until the moment he'd looked at her, in a way new yet primordial, effortlessly making her shiver with a nameless need she'd never experienced but somehow known. It was frightening. It was exhilarating. Because something hungered deep inside for him to look at her like that again, to make her feel those things again and many other things she'd never known, couldn't name. Her mouth dried at the thought and she reached for her drink to make it possible to swallow her food.

And god help her, if he could do that with a single eye, maybe two, what would happen if she ever did see his entire face? She eyed his mask, visually tracing the subtle movements of his lips, the line of his nose under the fabric, trying and failing to put together a mental picture of what lay beneath. Then she forgot to breathe as she remembered…he wasn't wearing a mask. Kakashi was sitting there with his face hidden only by a genjutsu she could dispel with a single "kai". She knew it was touching proof of his trust and there was no way she was going to break it, but…damn it, for a few seconds the temptation was incredible.

Idly chewing, she inspected his outfit to distract herself. It really did look fantastic on him. The jacket's smoky hue was delicately echoed in the shades of his hair. The dress shirt and pants, both black, as was his 'mask', fit his lean form superbly, complimented by crimson details in his belt, handkerchief and cufflinks. She noticed with interest a couple of buttons had come undone, opening his shirt wider at the neck to reveal the planes of his chest. Her eyes were drawn to the smooth flex of muscle there, unconsciously biting her lip as it stirred memories of what Kakashi's body really looked like under those clothes.

Faint butterfly flutters started in her lower belly. Under the guise of adjusting the napkin on her lap, she pressed a hand to it under the table as she furtively stared, hypnotically drawn to that chest. Her eyes moved downward as her mind supplied explicit details of how the firm pectorals gave way to ridged abdominals, leading to a navel under which a silvery path led even lower to… She swallowed compulsively, becoming aware the butterflies had multiplied substantially and her view was now blocked by the table. Resolutely looking away until the flutters safely died, she discretely checked on Tenten, on Hinata and Naruto, before inspecting the meagre remains on her plate.

Grinning, she poked at a small cherry tomato. Earlier, she'd popped several into Kakashi's mouth, successfully frustrating his attempt to extol the dubious merits of the newest Icha icha. She remembered the teasing brush of lips, smooth, warm and supple against her fingers, accompanied by the elusive hint of wet tongue. Now that she thought about it, she'd felt a small patch of roughness. Was his bottom lip chapped? Strange, how something so ordinary seemed intimate beyond all proportion. She tried to imagine those lips; warm and soft save for that bit of coarseness, on hers. How his tongue might delicately trace her lips before slipping between to slide hotly against hers. She reached for her drink to ease her sudden parched ness.

Glancing across at Kakashi's plate as she sipped, she tried to gauge the time remaining only to realise, with a pang, it was growing ever shorter. Even as she watched, he neatly guided another forkful to those hidden lips. Captivated, she stared until she could swear she felt their ghostly trace on her own. Hastily she sipped to ease her persistent dryness, trying to redirect her attention to somewhere less…stimulating. Not easy, considering her reactions to every part of him so far.

She swiftly decided shoulders were out (wide, strong, naturally led up to faces with lips, or…or down to chests), as were his arms (more muscles and far too well-designed for fascinating things like holding and hugging – obviously dangerous territory). Below the waistline…oh god, no…that was even more dangerous territory. Besides, any body part she'd practically have to crawl under the table to see was clearly out. She firmly squashed her sudden longing for a byakugan. Hands, she thought desperately, hands had to be safe, right?

* * *

><p>Tenten had a problem. To put it frankly, she was horny as hell. It was beginning to preoccupy her so much it'd soon be obvious enough to raise comment. And the last thing she wanted Ebisu to know was she was sitting here trying to decide whether or not to go to bed with him.<p>

Well, that wasn't quite accurate. She supposed telling him was an option, just not the one for her. If she let him know, the matter would be on the table, making it as much his decision as hers. That might be secretly relieving but that wasn't what she wanted.

It was the principle of the thing. She refused to be a coward. She'd taken this challenge to seduce him, so the decisions of how, when and even whether she extended the invitation should be hers. She supposed it shouldn't matter so much how she completed the goal, but she wanted a clean victory. She just wasn't sure that was accomplishable tonight. Her gut feeling was if she did, she'd wind up doubting and regretting it. She was fighting an inner battle between her horniness, her practicality and sense of fair play.

Her virginity wasn't an issue. She wasn't the type to wait for love eternal. As far as she was concerned, just wanting to get laid was fine. Truth was she probably would've been sexually active ages ago if not for a perpetually busy schedule and overprotective friends. Maintaining weapons mistress status alone took an astonishing amount of work. And if she did, she'd almost certainly be the first conqueror of the seduction game, unless Ino, despite thirty kids chaperoning, was enjoying amazing luck with Iruka Sensei. Well, maybe she was feeling a bit of natural first time jitters.

But she wasn't sure it was sensible to ignore all that wise instruction from female relatives. She could practically hear her great aunt's voice, telling her never – _never_ – say yes on the first date. The average male ego was big enough without the boost. It wasn't about attraction, she'd told her, but respect, for your self and for each other. Men get caught up in the thrill of the chase. Oh, they enjoy the prize but the more they worked for it, the more they valued it. By resisting, making it harder, it establishes you respect yourself, know your own value. It subliminally gains his respect. It tells him you insist on a higher standard and he has to prove himself worthy, an irresistible challenge. The longer, more intense the chase, the more time you both have to whet your appetites, making the end game much more satisfying.

So, never the first date, not even if it's a mission and you're under orders to seduce him. Take the time to do it right. Well, maybe, if he's hot beyond belief, you could give in on the second date, she'd winked, grinning, but ideally, at least hold out for the third. All in all, sound, practical advice she usually wouldn't have any problems following.

And then there was the main problem. Though she liked Ebisu, she had a feeling her horniness wasn't all due to him. She believed it was fallout from her earlier face-off with Yura, the result of a normal physical/emotional high after a very intense stimulating competition. It wasn't something unheard of in the shinobi world, after some extreme workouts or missions. The mental elation from 'winning' (or sometimes just 'surviving'), could affect your decisions and actions. You wanted to celebrate, to enjoy the rewards, despite its inadvisability. Arousal was just one of many forms it could take.

But in this case the reward she wanted to enjoy was Ebisu. That seemed very unfair and inconsiderate to the man after his gallant defence. He deserved better, to be wanted for himself, not taken advantage of. Inviting him home tonight, knowing she was being influenced by circumstances…wouldn't feel right. It would mar her victory. Unfortunately, that influence was playing merry hell with her decision making skills, so, here she sat, on the fence, horny and indecisive.

She figured what she really needed was someone to talk to, an outside perspective. Wondering what her chances were for a quick, friendly consultation, she peeked at Sakura and Hinata with secret longingly, but unfortunately, both were occupied with their dates.

Damn it, she moaned to herself, what ever happened to mutual all girl bathroom breaks? Should she signal one of them? Or maybe not, she reluctantly decided. Maybe she should just go herself and clear her head a little. At least it was a plan. She'd put it into action in a few minutes. Who knows? Maybe she'd get lucky. At least one of other girls should need the powder room soon.

* * *

><p>As the relaxing silence continued, Kakashi let his mind drift while his body carried on the motions of finishing his meal. His mind touched briefly on their act with smug satisfaction. He and Sakura had played their parts with panache and relish. At times their real dialogue, private due to their table's jutsu, had been totally at odds with their actions. It'd only heightened their fun. Meanwhile, the other girls had kept covert tabs on them all night and, from his actions, even Naruto had been fooled. This boded well for their hopes of convincing Ino of their affair. It was regrettable Sai'd suddenly vanished partway through. He'd wondered what his evaluation had been and made a note to check with Tenzou later.<p>

He absently lifted his glass, sipping as he considered his 'date'. He couldn't recall enjoying anyone as much as he had Sakura tonight. Their conversations had flowed with natural, playful ease between them, the effortless familiarity giving credibility to the illusion they'd wanted to create. He couldn't help contrasting it to past romantic pursuits, normally rife with pressures and expectations on both sides. Take their present silence. Usually he'd be pressed to fill such a void with witty conversation, his goal to impress and woo his date. It was a novel sensation to do away with all that, to simply enjoy a woman's company. He was finding himself wishing for more time with her, regretting its inevitable conclusion with the order and consumption of dessert.

Firmly resolving to enjoy the time they had left, he guided another forkful to his mouth, taking rare pleasure in the sense of companionship between them. Across the table, he was vaguely aware of Sakura's meal steadily disappeared. It was like a safe haven amid the low vocal hum around them and he was aware of an incredibly deep sense of peace, of contentment. He paused to examine it, vaguely gazing at his plate.

When was the last time he'd felt like this? It was tempting to say 'never' but that wasn't quite true. It was more like…not in recent memory. He idly adjusted his napkin, hunting for the obscure recall but finding it kept escaping him, hovering on the razor's edge of his memory. It had the hazy feel of something from infinitely long ago and he blinked slowly, wondering if it'd actually been as far back as childhood. But it was the ever so faint overtones, the vague sensation of perfect security and happiness coupled with a ghostly impression of a warm embrace that foiled him. Left him questioning why so distant a memory felt so important.

Surfacing briefly from his contemplation, he examined the remains on his plate, and Sakura's, sorry to note his time with her was running out. But then the puzzle of the elusive memory beckoned. Distracted, he resumed eating, combing the deepest recesses of his mind, grasping at insubstantial threads in his attempt to understand and categorize it.

* * *

><p>Why did women go to the bathroom in groups? By contrast, men travelled alone. If they chanced upon an acquaintance there, any discourse lasted only until bladders were relieved before going their separate ways. But even women who were alone would immediately join up with others into a pack which then, talking incessantly, travelled to the ladies' room. Once there, uncalled for amounts of time would pass before the group would reappear. What did they do in there that took so long?<p>

Sai mulled it over as he stood by the dining area steps, watching one such group. He'd originally asked Sakura but it'd resulted in a pummelling for perversion that'd made him question the wisdom of asking other female acquaintances. So he'd taken it to Yamato, but the ANBU captain hadn't known either. It remained one of the great enigmas of the female gender.

One he didn't have time to ponder, he told himself. He shook his head, turning his mind back to business, to wit, working his way around the bar to find another advantage point. The three couples were presently without surveillance. There was no telling what he'd missed while trying to avoid Sasuke. He paused in mid turn, puzzling over the Uchiha's behaviour.

While he wouldn't call their past contact congenial; it also hadn't been hostile. If anything, Sai would've said they routinely maintained a cautious distance, which, to his regret, he'd never managed to breach. Consequently this made Sasuke's open enmity tonight bewildering. Perhaps, irate at losing Naruto to Hinata, Sasuke was taking it out on him? It didn't fit his disposition. Sai thought he'd be more likely to face a problem head on or brood over it, rather than use someone as a scapegoat. He'd chosen to evade the Uchiha rather than chance being part of a public dispute, but doing so had interfered with the task at hand. He needed to return to it.

Sai started to do so, barely moving three steps before the sight of Sasuke scanning the area around the bar stopped him in his tracks. He quickly did his own scan, trying to see a way out. It was clear he couldn't move forward, toward the front of the restaurant. Sasuke would notice him immediately. This left him one option, move to the rear, toward the bathrooms and hope he could work his way around through the dining area and back into the bar crowd. He slipped down the steps, using fellow patrons as cover between him and his pursuer. For a second he thought he'd succeeded, until a discrete glance back showed the other shinobi looking in his direction.

* * *

><p>Sasuke finally caught sight of Sai moving casually toward the washrooms. He confessed waylaying the ex-ROOT agent in a men's room wasn't his favourite option but beggars couldn't be choosers. This might be his only chance. He immediately moved in pursuit.<p>

* * *

><p>Sakura focussed on the two hands casually going about their business across the table. Had she ever really regarded them in any way other than a vague professionalism? She could name the parts and how they worked, could explain the origin of many of those faintly visible scars. She'd appreciated, and envied, their lethal skill many times. Yet, despite knowing so much, it felt like she'd never really seen them before. Now, watching his hands precisely guiding eating utensils, fiddling with a napkin or pausing, temporarily idle before going on to their next task, she was captivated.<p>

In his usual fingerless gloves they seemed so tough and practical. Freed, they were as lean and strong as the rest of him, with long, wonderfully agile fingers. Her mind catalogued the many descriptive words she could use for them - clever, flexible, quick, nimble, supple, dexterous, skilful, deft, practiced, callused…the list was endless. Those hands performed so many tasks with splendid, sometimes lethal precision, but, absurdly, his favourite use for them was to open an issue of Icha Icha. When things turned bad their touch could be extraordinarily comforting. How many times had they strongly pulled her to safety? Rested kindly, encouragingly, on her shoulder or rubbed reassuringly across her back? Soothingly helped dress her wounds? She'd lost count long ago.

Then, involuntarily, her mind turned to more recent provocative contact. How solidly warm his hand had been in hers and the feel of it lightly gliding across her back to mould to her waist. She recaptured the light stroke of his thumb on the back of her hand and the sensual caress of masked lips on her knuckles during an almost indecent hand massage. She hid the tremble of her lips with her napkin as she recalled how he'd gently brushed back her hair, cupped her cheek, his thumb gliding over her skin and how she'd responded with her lips brushing against his palm. How, as unexpected bliss tore through her, she'd first gasped then moaned into it. And the butterflies returned, fluttering wildly.

It was undeniable. The feelings those hands had stirred in her had helped change her perception of Kakashi. Yet, in actual fact, how much had they touched? A bare fraction of her back and waist, her hand, arm and face? Hardly the stuff of Icha Icha and that was mind-boggling. Their skill hinted at mastery she'd never before associated with him, made her wonder. What would Kakashi's hands be like on a woman's - no, let's be honest - on her body?

She watched them efficiently moving across the table from her. Envisioned them lifting off her dress, running over her body, over places touched by no one else. She suppressed a shiver as she imagined the solid warmth of palms moulding to the curve of her breasts, her hips. Goose bumps chased the phantom sensation of clever fingers tracing hot, smooth patterns across her. Would they be followed by supple lips, the damp glide of tongue, hot breath cooling against her skin? She bit her lip, unconsciously shifting her legs to relieve a pulsing ache. As she visualized callused hands gliding over her collarbone, down through the valley between breasts, past her navel, the roughness catching on her skin, her breath hitched silently. Then she fantasized those fingers sliding lower still, down to quench the growing ache, only to become aware of the very real dampness there. Hastily she looked away, staring almost blindly down at her plate.

Well, damn it. Obviously hands weren't as safe as she'd thought. She was beginning to doubt any part of the infuriating man was. So, now here she was, sitting in a crowded restaurant consumed with a needy hungry that had nothing to do with food and for once the exasperating man seemed completely oblivious. She wavered between gratitude and annoyance, gritting her teeth, unsure if she was suppressing laughter or tears. She couldn't even blame him this time; her condition was wholly due to her own overactive imagination. It wasn't his fault she was sitting here absolutely aching, almost literally insatiable with desire for him.

Her brain stuttered to a halt as it replayed that. Then it restarted, speeding through a process of identification, evaluation and finally to a conclusion that sent her reeling with the soul deep epiphany of a simple truth which resonated through her, echoing in her bones and blossoming to fill her entire being with an indisputable certainty.

"Sakura?" he called and she instinctively responded, lifting green eyes ablaze with everything she was experiencing, meeting Kakashi's single dark eye with a look which spoke her certainty of that simple truth more clearly than any voice.

_I want you_.

That startled dark eye widened, than responded with a dark, masculine hunger, the predatory heat of it almost tangible, leaving her gasping as it swept over her. Man to woman, spellbound, their locked eyes fed on each other, the hunger escalating with every passing moment. Oblivious to everything but him, Sakura trembled, craving the promises his eye spoke, of the feverish touch of hands and lips, skin sliding on skin and sweat soaked limbs entangled in a passion spiralling into madness. Her breath quickened, body leaning toward him, inviting him to begin that ascent, demanding his touch with everything in her being. Kakashi tilted toward her, eye blazing in agreement, hands beginning to reach…

"Hi, are you ready to…order… dessert…now…?" abruptly reminded of their surroundings, Sakura and Kakashi lurched back into their seats, each fighting for composure as the voice faltered to a halt. The blushing waitress glanced to and fro between them. Those had been hot, hungry looks she'd accidentally interrupted. Call it a hunch, but she didn't think what these two really wanted was on the menu.

"Um…" unwilling to meet Sakura or the waitress' gazes, Kakashi self-consciously glanced around, "Um… dessert?" he winced at how awkward he sounded. "Would…you like dessert now…Sakura?" he warily turned to where she sat, wildly blushing and mortified, eyes on her plate, a hand pressed to her stomach as she tried to slow her breathing. She started.

"I…um…I think…I…reallyhavetovisittheladies'roomnow," grabbing her bag, she shot out of her seat, heading toward the back of the restaurant. He watched her disappear into the crowd before turning to the waitress.

"I…guess we'll order when she gets back?" he rubbed the back of his head, regarding her uncertainly. She smiled, nodding as she turned away. Kakashi, gazing at Sakura's chair, didn't notice her glance back, then fan herself with her order book, mouthing a bemused "Whoa!"

* * *

><p>"That was you at the waterfall?" Naruto stared in amazement. Damn, had Kiba and Shino known and not even given him a hint? All these years… He'd assumed it'd been one of those bee people, or maybe some civilian living nearby or travelling through.<p>

"Yes," Hinata blushed, remembering he'd described the 'mystery girl' as beautiful. It'd been one of the highlights of her life.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, "Any of you? I mean, Kiba and Shino knew didn't they?" Oh, he was going to get them for this!

"We were all much younger back then," she temporized, not wanting to get her team mates into trouble, "And I was…very shy about such things. I-I was happy, though," she shyly smiled at him, "That you thought I was pretty, even if you didn't know it was me."

"Hinata," he self-consciously ran a hand through his hair, "I've always thought you were pretty. You're one of the prettiest girls I know. I've just never got around to saying it before." The way her smile grew to light up her entire face didn't make her just pretty, he thought. It made her breathtakingly beautiful. He stared into those incredible shining eyes, caught up in that beauty. Happy in the moment, they stared into each other's eyes, until they finally realised what they were doing and, both blushing, glanced away, trying to regain their composure. In doing so, Hinata's attention was caught by the extraordinary way Kakashi and Sakura were staring at each other.

"Oooh…" she gasped weakly, astonished by their behaviour, "…my." They were staring at each other so passionately. The expression in Kakashi's eye was so sexy and…hungry, like he wanted to jump across the table and devour Sakura. It was so hot; she thought and was surprised at herself. She wondered what was going on tonight. First Tenten, now Sakura…and here she sat, with these thoughts!

"Baka-Sensei…" Naruto's indignant growl caught her attention, "He shouldn't be doing that to Sakura-chan." She glanced back at the other couple.

"Sh-she seems to be doing it too," she observed, adding quickly, "In all fairness, I mean, you can't blame him if she's doing it too. A-and…you don't know which one started it. It could've been her."

"Not in public," he glared at the Jounin, "Sakura-chan would never even think of doing anything like that. That's Baka-Sensei's bad influence. Believe it!" She hid a smile at his vehement certainty. "I should go over there and stop it. Before Baka-Sensei does something even more embarrassing for her." his hand fisted on the table.

"I don't think that'll be necessary," she laid her hand over his fist, gaining his attention long enough to point out the waitress heading toward the other table. As the ensuing byplay commenced, Hinata found herself glancing shyly at the blonde glaring at the other table, imagining that hot, hungry look in his eyes, looking at her. The mental picture easily quickened her breath, made her light-headed and started an entire bevy of butterflies fluttering madly in her lower belly. It also brought to mind an Icha Icha scene involving a dining room table, half-eaten dishes flying to the floor and a 'dessert' consumed to the limits of the lovers' physical endurance. The combination was deadly, making her tremble; biting her napkin to keep from gasping aloud. She blushed, desperately wondering what she was going to do now.

"Now look what he's done," his attention on Sakura's plight, Naruto was still thankfully oblivious, "Poor Sakura-chan! He got her all upset." Hinata, seeing Sakura jump up and head toward the ladies' room, saw her salvation.

"I-I…think I'll go to the ladies, too," she grabbed her own bag, "I-I can see if she's feeling alright while I'm there. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Gee, thanks, Hinata," his look was grateful, "You're a great friend. Take your time, if she needs it, I'll be fine till you get back." She hurried after Sakura, trying not to feel too guilty for using her as an excuse. After all, she'd be making it true.

* * *

><p>Score! Tenten thought with elation.<p>

Putting off her visit to the ladies' worked. Both Sakura and Hinata were on their way there now and all she had to do was join them. She'd get her emergency consult and judging from those hot and heavy looks flying between Kakashi and Sakura, there was going to be lots of juicy details to talk about. She couldn't wait to find out how Hinata was doing with Naruto. Now, to make a quick getaway, she thought.

"I think I have to visit the little kunoichi's room," she smiled charmingly at Ebisu, "I hope you don't mind. I'll be back soon and we can have another drink before we leave."

"Of course not," he replied, "I'll be waiting with bated breath until you return." She turned away, still feeling his eyes on her. Glancing up into the bar mirror, she was amused. From the angle, she wasn't sure if they were glued to her back or her butt. Well, either way, it was nice to know she still had his complete attention, so she put a little extra swing in her hips to reward him as she moved off.

* * *

><p>It was no good. The Uchiha was following him. Sai had no choice but keep moving toward the restrooms. He supposed it was too much to hope this was coincidence and Sasuke just needed to use the john. His mind worked furiously, trying to find a way out but lamentably running out of time and options. Pretending to use a stall in the men's room facilities had its downside, namely eventually leaving it, but he could think of no other workable option. It seemed, no matter how hard he'd tried, a clash with Sasuke was inevitable.<p>

As he reached the washroom doors, one more of those baffling groups of women, talking amiably together, poured out of one. Moving around them, he paused with his hand on the men's room door, watching as they continued to flow out the other. Looking past the last of them, he could see the other room seemed vacant. His brows creased in quick thought as his eyes searched for his pursuer. Sasuke had stepped aside to let the women pass and wasn't presently looking his way. Swiftly, Sai pushed hard on the men's room door, ducked behind the backs of the last women passing him and dived through the ladies' room door as it began to close. Once inside, he hastily scanned the room, seeing no other occupant, his eyes widening as he took in the details.

True, he hadn't expected rows of urinals, but he had thought it'd be as utilitarian as the men's. Instead it was much more lavishly decorated. Instead of tan tones, it was painted in a rich chocolate with cream trim, including the long line of stalls. Mirrors lined two walls. One had sinks for washing. The second had a long counter with built in drawers, its top interspaced with vases of scented flowers and comfortable chairs lined in front of it. He wandered over to investigate the drawers, finding complimentary samples of cosmetics and perfumes. By contrast, the only things remotely complimentary or nice smelling in the men's were the condom dispenser and random air fresheners. It seemed oddly discriminatory.

He continued to stroll, checking out the vending machines. There was a respectable choice of condoms, several options in female hygiene and simple medications for headache, upset stomach or similar complaints. Strangely, the last vending machine offered a range of underwear, including a questionable option of 'edible' panties and he paused, perusing his choices of chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and tutti-frutti. Yes, plainly the girls enjoyed preferential treatment here. He made a mental note to raise the point with Yamato later.

Then the sound of voices outside had his head snapping around. He darted for the stalls, discovering one in the center with an 'out of service' sign. Boosting himself over the top, he landed noiselessly, before hopping up to sit on the water tank with his feet on the toilet bowl rim. Invoking ANBU/ROOT training, he suppressed his chakra, hiding his presence.

* * *

><p>As he waited for the women to pass, Sasuke looked up to see the men's room door closing. Not seeing Sai, he surmised it'd been him, on his way inside. He soon followed, pausing to take a breath before pushing his way in. His initial survey didn't reveal his target. As he wandered over to use the urinals, he studied the only area out of sight, the stalls. Only one was occupied, so he concluded Sai was inside. Finishing, he washed his hands, and then moved over to the only vending machine, a condom dispenser, feeling foolish as he pretended to inspect the choices. Keeping the stall in his periphery, he frowned faintly as he went over his plan of approach.<p>

The pretext of needing details from the memories of Sai's clone wasn't the best of plans, but it was the most plausible he could come up with. It would serve the purpose of opening the door to conversation. Sasuke sighed, knowing he'd have to think on his feet from there. Not that he gave himself much chance of success. Realistically, having seen how tactlessly direct Sai could be with others, he fully expected a humiliating rejection. A quick end to his ordeal was the best he could hope for.

A cough broke his concentration and he looked up to see a man impatiently waiting. Quickly selecting at random, he moved out of the way. As he put it in a pocket he saw with amusement it was chocolate flavoured. It reminded him of an early Team Seven incident. He smirked, wondering if Sakura still blushed about it.

Then he heard the stall door finally open. He looked around, ready to put his plan into action only to hit a snag. It wasn't Sai. Somehow, he'd disappeared right from under Sasuke's nose.

* * *

><p>What the hell just happened? Kakashi wondered, as the waitress walked away, and he sat, stunned, staring in profound denial at Sakura's empty chair. He'd almost jumped Sakura in a crowded restaurant out of pure sexual arousal. How had she gotten him to respond like that? It was like she'd jumpstarted his crotch. He still felt the lingering ache. It was mind-boggling. 'Little Kakashi' should've been out of commission for days. 'That' was infallible, effective against a wide range of stimulus. This was very much proven firm fact. He thought with a nostalgic pang of the past experiences that established it.<p>

The most outstanding case in point had been during an ANBU mission, when he was eighteen, captured by a legendary trio of kunoichi notorious for interrogation using sexual techniques. Knowing the formidable reputation of the spectacularly beautiful women, Kakashi had doubted his ability to stand firm (or as it were, 'flaccid') against them. It'd been a daunting task and he'd deemed 'that' essential, his best deterrent. So, shortly before interrogation began, he'd released his mental blocks.

On the first day, sure of success, the trio had bragged how no man ever resisted their skills beyond day two. They'd applauded his self-control the next day, still unconcerned. They were sure he'd eventually yield to temptation. Frankly amazed by his indifference on the third, they'd stepped up their efforts. The only thing raised was their doubts. By the fourth day, worried for their reputation, they'd resorted to herculean efforts aided by small doses of aphrodisiacs. Kakashi still failed to rise to the bait. They gradually upped the dosages, using increasingly more powerful and dangerous drugs over the next three days, yet, on the seventh day, they were forced to admit the only thing hard was the truth. They were failing. At that point, professional pride took priority over duty as the trio completely lost it, vowing he'd get an erection or die trying.

Fortunately, later that day ANBU staged a rescue he'd never remembered. Genma swore he was lucky. It hadn't been pretty. Dosed to the gills and hallucinating on enough drugs to kill an elephant, Kakashi'd firmly believed his rescuers were smurfs. He'd happily serenaded them with continual rounds of 'The Smurf Song' until the progressively twitchy medic finally managed to counteract the drugs, apply sedatives and put him out of everyone's misery. A close call, Genma said because by that time the leading consensus was for euthanasia. Meanwhile, ANBU had their hands full with three hysterical kunoichi, who bitterly declared he was abnormal, totally sexless, as no 'functioning' male, straight or gay, could've resisted them.

Kakashi'd begun to gleefully refute that claim when, after 'that' wore off, he discovered how the incident had significantly enhanced his sex life. He'd vastly improved his repertoire by adding many of their techniques, becoming a force to reckon with and, firmly believing 'practice makes perfect', kicked off on a sexual spree during which his only criteria in partners had been 'of age' and 'willing'. He'd been meticulously working his way through Konoha when the Hokage, besieged by irate relatives and jilted lovers, got tired of dealing with the fallout and decided intervention was required. Kakashi's energetic skills had been channelled into a long series of male requisite seduction missions away from the village until he'd gotten it out of his system.

All of which underlined the point. Having invoked 'that' mere hours ago, Kakashi should've been impervious to sexual arousal until it wore off, in several days time. Yet the most reliably powerful personal cockblock he knew had been beaten - with a single look - from Sakura.

It'd never happened to him before. 'That' had inexplicably failed. Kakashi was irrationally upset and disillusioned by this. It was like looking forward to Christmas day only to find your last mission before the holiday was to assassinate Santa. It hurt. He shook his head, trying to regain perspective, then sadly sighed, resigned, forced to admit he really wasn't taking this well.

Of course he wasn't taking it well. Because he also knew, deep down, having 'that' fail wasn't the real issue. If he concentrated on that aspect, he didn't have to face the worst of it yet, wouldn't have to figure out where it all went wrong. Despite his good intentions and assurances, all his attempts to prevent it, he'd inadvertently betrayed Sakura's trust. He'd wound up hurting her and, damn it, that hadn't been what he wanted.

And what terrified him the most was he couldn't figure out why… as he stared into her eyes, stirred soul deep and burning with a hunger that begged to be quenched in the touch, taste, smell, sight and sound of her…why it'd felt so damn right.

* * *

><p>Sai listened to the women leave before carefully sticking his head over the stall partition. He eased over the stall door, dropping noiselessly before standing to glance around. Had they been atypical, he wondered. Instead of the usual long visit, the quartet had hurried, discussing their future plans to visit another venue. He mulled it over, looked over the wet spots around the sinks, the miscellaneous streaks of makeup on the counter showing the women's haste. It was possible, but, though interesting, he neither had enough cases to know for sure nor time to spare for investigation. He had a job to do.<p>

And that meant getting out of the ladies' room and back on surveillance. He headed for the door, putting his ear against it to listen with his eyes closed in concentration. Sifting through the muffled noises, he identified the sound of a closing door and dawdling footsteps nearby. He debated cracking the door open to look. Surely Sasuke was either in the men's room or long gone? About to attempt it, he heard the sound of a collision and a recognizable voice saying, "Sakura?" Sai pressed his ear against the door, listening shamelessly.

* * *

><p>Sakura was making for the refuge of the ladies' with her head down, preoccupied and oblivious of her surroundings. So naturally just outside, when she bounced hard off an unexpected obstacle, she was literally bowled over. Capable hands caught her. She looked up, surprised to see Sasuke.<p>

"Sakura?" he stared down, concerned, "Are you alright? Even for you, that was a pretty hard hit."

"Um…sure, I'm fine," she wondered what else could go wrong tonight, "I'm sorry I ran into you, Sasuke. I guess I wasn't looking where I was going." After making sure she was steady on her feet, he released her.

"Yeah, well I wasn't paying attention myself," he grudgingly admitted, running a hand through his hair, "So it wasn't just you." She looked too upset for a simple accident to account for. He recalled his impression of her together with Kakashi earlier. Had something happened between them? He frowned, debating how to ask when they were interrupted.

"Hey, Sakura…finally," Tenten joined them with Hinata, "Thanks for slowing her down, Sasuke. We've been coughing on her dust all the way back here," she mimed fanning, faking a cough. Hinata nodded a greeting to him before turning worried eyes on Sakura.

"We came to see if you were alright," she moved to her side, her voice softly soothing. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, his suspicions confirmed. He took a final glance around.

"Well, I was going to call it a night," it was obvious he wasn't going to find Sai. He wondered how he'd slipped past him, "But, I can stay if you want," he offered, "Or will you be fine with these two?"

"No, no, I'm fine, really," she smiled gamely, "There's nothing wrong, I just needed the bathroom. It's nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, we're just going to freshen up and tell tall tales about our dates," putting her arm around Sakura's shoulder, Tenten grinned, winking, "You know, girl stuff, no boys allowed."

"Yeah, right," he wouldn't put it past them, "I'll be off then. I'll see you later, Sakura. Tenten, Hinata." He watched them, as Tenten, responding to a question from Hinata, began to regale them about her bizarre showdown, until they disappeared into the ladies'. Then his brow quirked as a thought occurred. Nonchalantly looking around, he stepped up to the door. He scanned for chakra, listening for commotion, but found nothing suspicious, just the presence of the three girls.

He turned away, rebuking himself. What had he been thinking? That Sai would go into the ladies' room just to avoid him? Like that would happen. It was more likely he'd used an ANBU trick to get past him. Disappointed, he headed for the front doors and home. Well, he thought, frowning, maybe he'd make a quick stop first. After all, saying hello to Kakashi'd just be polite, wouldn't it?

* * *

><p>"So, Baka-Sensei," the reproving voice broke through Kakashi's gloom, "What do you have to say for yourself?" Reluctantly he looked up to see Naruto sitting down opposite in Sakura's vacant chair. And another quarter heard from, he thought sourly.<p>

"You know, Naruto, it's rude to ignore your date for someone else," he glanced over toward the other table, "Shouldn't you be with Hinata?"

"When we saw Sakura-chan run off, she went to check on her," the blonde glared at him, "It's your fault she was so upset, isn't it?" Kakashi winced guiltily, "What the hell were you thinking, Baka-Sensei? Pulling something like that in the middle of a crowded restaurant? You're lucky I don't kick your ass here and now."

"Naruto," Kakashi took a deep breath, "I can honestly say I don't know what happened." It was the simple truth. At what point, he wondered, had it gone wrong?

They'd fallen into a comfortable silence. Lulled by the feeling of quiet camaraderie, he'd let his mind drift loosely on how much he'd been enjoying Sakura's company, on the rare sensation of relaxing and simply enjoying another person's company. He'd felt so peaceful and content and it'd had a quality to it, dimly remembered from far too long ago. He'd been distracted, trying to pigeonhole it as he ate. In consequence, he hadn't been paying attention to Sakura, presuming she was finishing her meal too. He'd looked over, started to ask her about desert. Looked into her eyes and…

"Uh huh," Naruto's look was openly sceptical, "And I'm supposed to believe that? I think you can do better than that, Kaka-Sensei." The unspoken message in his reproachful blue eyes was 'you'd better'. Kakashi blinked, at a loss, unable to make sense of what happened next himself, let alone describe it to someone else, when an annoyed voice broke in.

"Someone want to tell me why Sakura's upset?" Sasuke glanced between them, and then turned, pulling a chair from a nearby vacant table. He straddled it, resting his arms across the back. "I literally ran into her because she wasn't looking where she was going. That's not like her." He gave Kakashi a measuring look, "She said she was fine, but I'm not buying it. So," he sternly tilted his head, "Want to come clean and tell me what happened?"

"You'll have to wait," Kakashi told the new arrival, "Until I figure it out. After that I believe Naruto's first in line." Lovely, he thought glumly, now all I need is Sai to complete the package. I know he's here. Or maybe Tenzou will drop in for a drink right about now. Then I'll have the full set ready to grill me. The Uchiha watched him briefly then turned to the blonde.

"Naruto," he nodded in greeting, "I saw Hinata. She and Tenten showed up after Sakura. I hope your date's going well?"

"I didn't know you were here," Naruto's blue eyes regarded him earnestly, his tone soft, "You could've come over, you know, even joined us. I'm sure Hinata wouldn't have minded." Hearing the undertones, Kakashi glanced back and forth, temporarily distracted from his own problems.

"Come on, Dobe," Sasuke hid a wince, his voice brusque, "The last thing you need on a date is a third wheel. You were having a good time with her. That's the way it's supposed to be. You didn't need me there. Besides," he gave him a reassuring smirk, "I was having a good time alone. I even met up with Shikamaru and Choji a couple of times. And what was up with Tenten and that redhead?" his smirk widened.

"I know, right," Naruto grinned back, eyes dancing, "They put on quite a show. I'll tell you," he scratched a whisker mark thoughtfully, "I didn't expect Tenten to do something like that." The Uchiha gave him a dry look.

"According to Shikamaru it's a girl thing," he glanced over at their silent observer, "So, what went on here, another girl thing?" Kakashi, impaled by two sets of eyes, sighed, knowing his respite was over.

* * *

><p>Hearing their footsteps approach, Sai moved quickly, back over the top of the stall and up on the toilet. He leaned carefully back, suppressing his chakra as the door opened and he heard the girls enter.<p>

"…not like I knew it was going to happen," Tenten grinned at the other girls, "It was all heat of the moment. I could tell Ebisu was more embarrassed than interested, so I wasn't worried. And, no lie, at first it was fascinating to watch her work. It was like she had an Icha Icha checklist or something and there were all those kinky little hints. Plus it was a bonus to find out about one of his ex's because I didn't feel comfortable getting so personal on a first date," she waved her handbag in emphasis, "But when she threw in that baby sister crack, well, it was on! Big time! Bitch!" she growled, smacking her bag hard into her other hand. In his hiding place, Sai blinked slowly in interest.

"B-but weren't you nervous?" Hinata was secretly fascinated, "D-doing…that, in public?" Moving ahead, Sakura hid an amused eye roll as Tenten snorted.

"I didn't think about it," she confessed, "All I wanted was to beat her at her own game and maybe score a good right hook while I was at it. I mean," she stopped, gesturing questioningly, "Trying to steal someone's date right in front of them? Only slime does that." Sakura looked back at her, one hand on a stall door.

"Well, congratulations," her mouth quirked, temporarily distracted from her own problems, "You beat Bitch Slime Prime and won the Battle of Ebisu." Hearing the faint door creak and click of a latch, Sai realized her voice was coming from the stall next to him. He watched two pairs of feet pass to the other side of his stall.

"The Battle of Ebisu," Tenten merrily laughed, "I like it! I guess it's true what the song says. 'Love is a battlefield', right?" As he heard the rustle of clothing in the first stall, two more doors on the other side of him faintly creaked open.

"But here's the thing," Tenten continued, as more rustling sounded, "I need your advice." So, Hinata must be on the other side of him and then Tenten, Sai surmised.

"The truth is…I am really horny," she confessed. From Sakura's direction came a faint surprised hum, a muffled gasp from Hinata's. She began to outline her dilemma, with the occasional question from the other two, while a stunned Sai's eyes widened helplessly.

Did all women talk so explicitly when they were alone together? Whenever he was that blunt, he suffered painful consequences, frequently by Sakura's hands. Maybe it was one of those unwritten social rules of etiquette? Frank conversation was only allowed with members of your own sex? That didn't seem consistent with many of his past exchanges with other men. He pondered it as Tenten explained her great-aunt's advice.

He made another mental note for Yamato, reflecting how this evening was creating quite a question list. Admittedly, observing such feminine mysteries unfold was interesting, and pricelessly informative. Then questions from Sakura caused Tenten to vividly detail her physical symptoms and her reasoning why they weren't inspired by Ebisu. Just listening, he discovered, was quite astonishingly uncomfortable. He was experiencing a surprising urge to run away, piteously whimpering, with his ears covered. This caused doubts to surface.

Perhaps he shouldn't be here. Could he sneak out without them noticing? He doubted it. Maybe he should make his presence known. After all, if he did what would they do to him? He was just…

A man, hiding in a stall in the ladies' washroom.

Eavesdropping on a clearly private conversation between an abnormally strong medic Nin, a clan heiress with deadly hand to hand skills and a highly accomplished weapons mistress.

Without their knowledge.

As full realization of his peril sunk in, he blinked rapidly, his mouth bone dry with suppressed panic as he was inundated with visions of their most likely reaction in gut wrenchingly horrific detail. Immediately, his survival instinct kicked in with a vengeance and, using all his skill and will, he ruthlessly suppressed all hint of his presence, becoming more than invisible - a shinobi black hole. Only then, holding back a shudder, did he firmly, noiselessly scold him self for temporary insanity as he grimly settled in to endure.

* * *

><p>"From what I saw?" Naruto's eyes narrowed, "Kaka-Sensei was getting waaay too hot and heavy in public. If the waitress hadn't interrupted, I was going to. Sakura ran off after that."<p>

Sasuke rubbed his nose thoughtfully, covertly studying Kakashi as he recalled his earlier impression of the couple. Poorly hidden under the Jounin's casual manner, myriad emotions flickered in that eye, recollection, bewilderment, remorse, apprehension, cogitation. Interesting, it seemed Kakashi wasn't having much luck trying to figure out what happened either. He'd never seen him so… unsettled. It made him wonder. Was Sakura really completely blameless?

"It was one-sided? Last I heard, it takes two to tango," he glanced at the blonde, keeping the Jounin in his periphery, "And what do you mean by 'hot and heavy'? Are we talking just looking, groping, or kissing, what?" Kakashi winced uncomfortably. This was definitely not the time to peruse recent dreams or involuntary urges, he thought guiltily.

"Nah, they were just staring at each other," Naruto reported reluctantly, his voice slow, "And Sakura was doing it too. But you could tell it was going out of control fast. I could feel the heat, over where I was sitting." He shot an accusing look at the Copy Nin, "It's your bad influence, Baka-Sensei, believe it. Of course Sakura-chan was embarrassed. She'd never think of doing that, not in public. That means you started it." He glanced at Sasuke, his blue eyes lighting, "The waitress definitely felt it too. She was blushing and fanning herself with her order book as she walked away." The Jounin rubbed his face wearily. It just got better and better.

"It was mutual…huh," Sasuke frowned thoughtfully at the blonde, "So, you can't really put all the blame on Kakashi. Sakura is responsible too." Kakashi was peculiarly quiet, he thought. He wasn't even trying to defend himself through all this. That felt oddly significant. Knowing him, shouldering all the blame would be second nature.

"Um…yeah," Naruto rubbing his head ruefully, "That's what Hinata said". He aimed another glare at Kakashi, "But he still should've pulled the plug before it went so far." The Jounin felt the load of guilt grow heavier. Sure, go ahead, he glumly sighed, pour it on. I'm doing it, why shouldn't you. The more the merrier. He didn't notice Sasuke's keen look in his direction.

"So," the Uchiha said slowly, "If Sakura is holding half the blame, our hands are tied. We can't take him out and beat him in the alley unless we take her too. And beating up a girl in heels and a dress would get us in trouble. Think of our reputations," he aimed a significant look at the blonde, "And our health. She'd kill us for ruining her outfit." Besides, he got the feeling Kakashi might not put up much of a fight. Kakashi blinked, looking from one to the other as Naruto, mouth quirking, snorted humorously.

"Sure we could," he cheerfully assured Sasuke, "If we're quick, we can do it before the girls get back. I'm game if you are. She'd never know." While Sasuke's head tilted, thinking it over, Kakashi shook his own.

"A quick alley beating is the best you can come up with?" he stared at them in mock disappointment, "No torture or death threats? No boasts about how they'll never find the body? No embarrassing retaliatory public prank or grand scale destruction of personal property? What is this – payback on a shoestring?" he glanced between them, "Where's the imaginative plotting, the careful setup? Where's the subtle anticipatory play on your victim's fears and the pinpoint accuracy of your final revenge?"

"All my years as your sensei…wasted," his sigh was long suffering, "Where'd I go wrong? I thought I taught you better than this."

* * *

><p>Ebisu glanced around, patiently chewing a spring roll. It'd been an enjoyable evening, save for Yura's interruption and he hid a wince, thinking about the inevitable questions about the incident. Well, it wasn't the first time his reputation had taken a hit. It was unavoidable. The further one advanced in rank, the closer the scrutiny. It'd eventually blow over.<p>

He'd noted Tenten's friends were also absent. The Hyuuga's date, the Uzumaki boy, along with the Uchiha, was currently talking with Kakashi, who'd been with Sakura. Ebisu admitted the latter was a surprise. He hadn't known the Jounin was interested in the Team Seven medic. He wished the man luck as he'd be in for some of that scrutiny too. It wouldn't be the age difference. Shinobi ranks occasionally suffered enough casualties; a younger spouse might be the only available option. No, it was his past as her genin sensei some would consider as… problematic. Still, it wasn't an insurmountable problem if the two were serious about each other.

If Tenten was with the other two girls, she'd probably be a while yet. A cynical female friend had once told him women went to the bathroom to dissect their dates. If that was the case he hoped he was getting a good review. He sighed, admitting he was torn.

He was finding the young lady a delightful surprise. But, with the Kuniochi Game, the relationship was usually dissolved soon after the young woman had either succeeded or failed. This was a shame, since it meant he might not see Tenten after spending a night with her.

Maybe he was getting ahead of himself. She might not choose to extend the invitation and, as a gentleman, it wasn't his place to rush her. He wouldn't mind a longer association, to spend more time with her. Yet, part of him also dearly wanted an invitation to her bed tonight.

* * *

><p>"I'm still not sure we should be doing this," Bull's deep voice vibrated through the small pug perched on his head as he walked through the village streets, "Talking over pack business, even with the Boss's friend, just doesn't seem right."<p>

"The pack debate wasn't doing much good either," Pakkun patted the massive dog reassuringly with a paw, "I know we've tried to raise him right, but all the good sense we've managed to cram into him can't change the fact he's still a human, not a dog," he snorted emphatically, "We're not equipped to deal with that. And this is too important to leave to chance. We need help." The big dog kept walking, briefly silent as he considered and, used to his pack mate's ways, the small pug waited patiently.

"Alright," he conceded eventually, "I can see why it'd take one human to understand another," he gave a beseeching whine, "But why can't we go to the school sensei instead. He deals with other humans much more often so I think he'd be a better choice. Plus he's really sneaky," he panted approvingly, "Remember when we used to help the Boss track him down after he'd pulled some of his pranks? Now that's the sort of mind we need on our side."

"Yeah, I know," Pakkun sighed regretfully, "But he's out of the village right now," he forestalled the inevitable suggestion with a unenthusiastic growl, "We could travel way out there, but then we'd have to deal with thirty kids. Not to mention," he shuddered, "They have three Inuzuka pups, plus a couple of nincats with them. I don't know about you," he moaned, "But I'm getting too old for that." The big dog rumbled in agreement, sending faint tremors through him.

"Okay," Bull reluctantly agreed, "But why does it have to be him? The Boss has other friends." The pug snorted in amusement.

"What? You want to go to the Green Menace or the senbon guy about the Boss's courtship of our Alpha bitch?" he shook himself vigorously, "Just think about it," he panted humorously, "Senbon guy's even worse than the Boss when it comes to females. And as for the Green Menace…" he let silence fall eloquently between them before continuing, '…no…just…no. We're trying to get them together, not send her screaming in terror." He could feel Bull's silent laughter, "So, by process of elimination, it has to be the tree guy." As the big dog flinched slightly underneath him, he quickly deduced the cause.

"Don't worry," the small pug patted him with a paw, "I'm sure he's forgiven you for pissing all over his wood clones by now."

* * *

><p>"So," Tenten exited her stall with a frustrated sigh, "It's decided. I go with my gut, not my hormones." Sai heard her head toward the sinks.<p>

"Well, you said it," Sakura's voice floated from her stall, "You'd always have doubts. If you don't want to wind up regretting this, it's best to wait until you're sure." A faint sound of agreement was heard from Hinata.

"Oh, I'll regret it," Tenten grumbled, washing her hands "In my lonely bed tonight. Well, guess what? I'm not going to be lonely," she declared rebelliously, "I'm gonna have a threesome, just me, Icha Icha and my favourite hand! We're gonna party, all night long! So there!" Sai blinked involuntarily at her frankness, as muffled snickers sounded on both sides, finding himself oddly intrigued by her evening's plans. First Sakura's door, than Hinata's, opened and the girls moved toward the sinks.

Watching them approach, Tenten smirked with amused triumphant. Hinata's eyes met hers, and then looked away, demurely biting her lip to keep from laughing. Sakura openly matched her smirk, green eyes dancing. Good. Apparently using her problem to distract Sakura had been successful. But, she'd best give her a little more time. Tenten turned to Hinata.

"So, how's it going with Naruto?" her smirk widened at the shy girl's blush, "Is it everything you thought it'd be?" In the stall, Sai's ears perked at the subject change. He forced back a sight of relief.

"I-It's been…he's so…," Sai could hear the blush in her voice, "W-we've talked so much. Its b-been…incredible!" Hinata's smile lit her face and her eyes glowed softly. Her friends grinned at each other, knowing if Naruto hadn't been blown away by that look, there was no hope for him.

"I see you wore the dress," Tenten observed. Sakura took the opportunity to examine her friend's outfit. It was stunning on her. She loved the deceptively simple design around the waist.

"Come on," the weapons mistress was coaxing, "You've got to tell us. What'd he do when he saw you?" She shared a look with Sakura, "What are we talking here? Jaw dropping admiration? Awed silence? What?" Sai wished he could see the girl's reaction. Maybe… it was possible… as long as they didn't notice, in the mirrors? He began to slowly, carefully move, as noiselessly as possible. Meanwhile, the two girls watched in amusement as Hinata held both hands to her face to hide her happy blush.

"H-he went very still. And he s-stopped breathing for a bit," Sai crept both hands to the top of the partitions on either side of him, balancing himself as he carefully moved them forward until he was leaning, his feet still on the toilet, but his head near the door. Outside, the two girls were listening raptly.

"He…stammered a little," Hinata continued, "When he complimented me." Sai cautiously placed each hand on the stall sides, anchoring himself as he moved his head to the door crack, gaining a limited view of the girls. He blinked at the brilliance of the Hyuuga's expression as she spoke, "H-he couldn't keep his eyes off me. So m-much so, he almost walked into the courtyard door as we left."

"Oh, yeah," Through the crack, Sai watched as Tenten pumped a hand in the air and Sakura hugged Hinata in congratulations.

"Well, don't leave us in suspense," Sakura pulled her over to the counter, pulling a chair out, "Tell us everything." As she sat Hinata looked at her hesitantly. Sai carefully moved to the other side of the door, to the opposite crack.

"Sakura," she began uncertainly, "There was something h-he mentioned. I-it got me curious," she hastened to add, "I-if you don't want to tell me, I'll understand." Uncertainly Sakura paused in sitting, hoping it wasn't about Naruto's long-time crush on her.

"Um, what was it?" she asked cautiously. Hinata earnestly looked at her as Tenten pulled out a chair. Sai leaned closer, listening intently.

"H-he said, early on when you were genin, Kakashi taught you a lesson?" Hinata's gaze was openly inquisitive, "S-something about n-never touching his Icha Icha?" Sai's interest was as aroused as Tenten's, as Sakura winced.

"He mentioned that? Really?" could she get out of this, she wondered, "What were you talking about?" Glancing at her friends, she realized she wouldn't.

"Oh, j-just about Jiraiya and Icha Icha," the shy Hyuuga said vaguely, unwilling to give away Naruto's secret about the franchise or the donations, "And how it was a s-shame Kakashi Sensei would be running out of his favourite book series eventually." Sakura winced again. Tenten absently investigated a drawer, one eye on the proceedings. Sai controlled his breathing, watching his sometime team mate closely. He wondered why he hadn't heard this story before.

"Well, as usual, it was Naruto's fault," Sakura sighed reluctantly, "He got it in his head to see why Kakashi-Sensei was so interested in his Icha Icha," she shook her head ruefully, "If either Sasuke or I knew what the punishment would be, believe me, we'd have stopped him but instead…we wound up helping him. The boys pretended to fight and when he came to break it up…well," she sighed, "When his hands were full with them…I sort of…lifted his book out of his back pouch." She glanced at the others, whose mouths had dropped. "I know, right, there was no way he didn't realize I'd done it, but…hey…you're only that dumb once…if you know better." Sai smiled slowly as he waited to hear the Copy Nin's reaction.

"So," Tenten grinned in anticipation, "What happened?" Both she and Hinata leaned forward. Sai, in his stall, also leaned a fraction closer to his crack. Sakura face palmed, shaking her head as she remembered.

"He waited until we thought we'd gotten away with it. Then, just as we opened the book, he 'caught' us," she bit her lip, "And said we needed to be taught a lesson." She paused, reluctant to convey the next part, as her friends waited expectantly. Sai's eye was now firmly glued to the crack. Sakura took a deep breath.

"He tied us up, slathered us with jars and jars of peanut butter," she pinched her nose, "And then he stuck chunks of cheese all over us." Picturing it, Tenten grabbed her mouth with both hands, unsuccessfully smothering a guffaw. Hinata's eyes were wide as she bit her lip. Sai was mesmerized.

"When he was done, he called his ninken. Do you have any idea," she smiled helplessly at them, "How embarrassing it is to spend hours being used by a dog pack like…like…a giant doggie treat? Talking dogs?" She shook her head, "They're so…vocal. If they're not growling over their food, they're discussing it. We're talking connoisseur level assessments on the different tastes, like…like how the Gouda cheese on your ass is better than the Brie in your navel. Or how the crunchy peanut butter on your chest tastes better than the smooth on your crotch. The boys still go pale over how they worked over their 'boy bits' and I don't think it was due to all the growling." The other girls burst out laughing and she covered her face, unable to help joining in. Sai bit his lip, suppressing his own. "It made a very big impression. Like Naruto says, 'believe it!' And it was effective. We never dared try it again."

"So, now that's over, it's your turn," she looked at Hinata, "Come on, spill it. Tell us everything about your date with Naruto."

* * *

><p>Neither entirely surprised to have the tables turned on them, Sasuke hid a smirk and Naruto reluctantly snickered while Kakashi sorrowfully shook his head at them. After all, the man had been doing it to them for years.<p>

"What?" the blonde defended, "Sometimes simple is better. There aren't many options in the middle of a crowded restaurant. It's a good idea, just sort of… spur of the moment." Rubbing his lips, the Uchiha waited for the inevitable comeback.

"But it's so… uninspired," the Jounin's voice quivered dramatically, "So… pedestrian. I could jury-rig better with two toothpicks, a fork and this napkin." his lone eye gleamed, amused, as Naruto warily eyed the fabric, "Your old sensei isn't worthy of better, just… least effort? I don't get your best shot?" When Naruto's blue eyes lit with far too much enthusiasm, Sasuke decided to step in before things got out of hand.

"You know, Kakashi," he met the Jounin's lone eye, "I never pegged you for a masochist. Yet except for contesting the method, it almost sounds like you want us to punish you. Even though we've established you aren't fully to blame. This wouldn't be old bad habits kicking in, would it? You're taking all the liability… so Sakura doesn't have to?" They measured each other, as a puzzled Naruto's brows lowered thoughtfully.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Kakashi's mild tone was deceptive, his stare steady on Sasuke's. Their team mate winced, his blue eyes widening in belated understanding.

"Um, Kaka-Sensei," he rubbed his whisker marks distractedly; "This isn't one of your 'I'll accept the responsibility for you' things, is it? You've really got to stop doing that. It grew old before the last shinobi war. You can't keep shouldering the consequences of other people's actions. With shinobi, it's hard enough to carry our own load at times. Believe it!" Naruto's unexpected wisdom, so reminiscent of his father, Minato, disconcerted the Copy Nin. It was far too easy for the blonde's true intelligence to be masked by his usual knuckleheaded ness, he reflected.

"All of us are adults," he continued, "We're not little kids you have to look out for anymore. I know you do it because you care, but taking liability like that is unfair to everyone involved. I know Sakura would agree." Candid blue eyes regarded him, "She wouldn't be such a great medic Nin if she avoided responsibility. If there's a problem, she'd rather know so she can fix it, even if it's embarrassing. I'm sure she'll forgive you." Sasuke coughed discretely.

"Or talk to each other. It's likely just miscommunication," he gave Kakashi a pointed look, "On both sides. Which should be dealt with before it becomes a bigger problem, right?" As the Jounin hesitated, he continued, "If Sakura's upset over something you did, that's one thing, but if she's upset over something she's done, that's another. Either way, it's best to find out before you decide to hog all the blame. In the former case, it might be justified, in the latter; it'll just make her feel worse and, likely, dangerously ticked off at you. Or," his brow rose questioningly, "Is your survival instinct that deficient lately? Should we be working on that during team practice? It can be easily arranged, you know. And I'm sure Yamato and Sai would love to help out." Kakashi hid a wince, knowing Tenzou would jump at the chance far too willingly.

"So, I either get you two in the alley," his tone was thoughtful, "Or all of Team Seven on one of the training fields," Sasuke and Naruto looked on, amused by his pretence of mulling it over, "Tough choices," his tone was ironic, "How ever will I pick?"

"Oh, why pick at all, Kaka-Sensei?" blue eyes dancing over an impudent grin, "Do both. We can arrange for a training session later and, since the girls aren't back yet, Sasuke and I can still beat the crap out of you in the alley. Can't we, Teme?" Both ignored Kakashi's cynical mutter of, "Gee, thanks," as Naruto cheerfully grinned at Sasuke, who now pretended to consider.

"Nah," regretfully he shook his head, "Fairs fair. He gets a pass this time," he aimed a significant look in Kakashi's direction, reiterating, "This time. If there's a next time, all bets are off." Sasuke rose, returning his chair to its former place before leaning over the table, "I'm going to head out soon," he looked between them, "Do either of you want a quick drink together before I do?" Kakashi shook his head. Their talk had given him a fresh perspective and he'd need the time before Sakura got back to think. Naruto, after a long look at him, turned to Sasuke.

"Sure," he rose from his chair, "Up at the bar or over at my table? I've got to keep an eye out for Hinata. I wouldn't want her to think I ran out on her." Following the Uchiha's head tilt toward the bar, he turned back, "I guess I'll be going too, Kaka-Sensei. But remember," his eyes narrowed as he pointed a warning finger at him, "I'll be keeping an eye on you. You behave yourself with Sakura-chan." Sasuke met Kakashi's eye, nodding his farewell before moving after the blonde. The Jounin watched them go.

"No Saketinis this time, Teme," slinging an arm around his friend's shoulders, the blonde's cheerfully teasing voice grew fainter as they walked away, "We both know how shit faced they make you."

"Yeah, like you're one to talk, Dobe," the Uchiha smirked back, his reply barely audible to Kakashi as they were lost in the crowd.

* * *

><p>"I've always wanted to try this brand," Tenten brandished a lipstick sample, "And this and this..." grinning happily she dug through her drawer, collecting samples. "Where do they get all this stuff? Some of it I haven't seen before. It's fantastic! I love coming here just for this," she chuckled as Sakura looked up from her own drawer.<p>

"I heard one of the owners is a former kunoichi with incredible connections to the cosmetic industry," her eyes sparkled as she chose a collection of her own, "From old missions, apparently. Rumour has it they supply all this and customers like us," she grinned, popping them into her handbag, "Provide the data for a few blind consumer tests. Like popularity demographics and such."

"Oh," with dawning understanding Hinata glanced up from her perusal, "So, that's why I kept thinking some of the newest cosmetics were familiar," she exclaimed, "B-but I couldn't quite place where I'd seen them before," she looked into her drawer, "It was here." In his stall, Sai cocked his head, realizing the information made fascinating sense.

"Well," Tenten shook her head gratefully, "All I can say is, hurray for competitive industrial espionage, especially if it scores us stuff like this!" Satisfied, she assessed Sakura from the corner of her eye as she put away her goodies, deciding it was time.

"So, Sakura," her sly tone caught Hinata's attention, "What's this story I heard?" Also alerted, Sai carefully moved position.

"S-story?" Hinata wondered, unintentionally echoing the silent hidden ANBU's thoughts as the unwary Sakura looked up from her drawer.

"You haven't heard the latest, Hinata," Tenten grinned in anticipation, "It seems Sakura here left out some intriguing details during our group chat." The curious Hyuuga glanced at the girl in question.

"What are you talking about?" a mystified Sakura glanced back and forth between them. What story could she have heard? Team Seven only got back that morning and apart from the girls and Kakashi, she hadn't had time to talk to anyone else.

"Oh, just a little tidbit I heard…yes, just this morning," a smug Tenten leaned on one hand, regarding her, "About you and Kakashi. It seems," she confided to Hinata, "Sakura here's been less than forthcoming. Apparently," her brows arched suggestively, "She's been spending her evenings groping Hatake tush. Now," she grinned appreciatively as, for completely different reasons, both scandalized girls gasped, "What I want to know is: is dat ass really as good as rumour says? As in, grab able, biteable and tight enough to bounce a coin off? Come on, Sakura," she gestured with her other hand, "Inquiring minds really must know here." As Sakura gaped at her, Sai forlornly realized his clone had dissipated far too soon, thus missing interesting details about Sakura and Kakashi's 'act'.

"J-just where d-did you say you h-heard this," she stammered, desperately trying to think. Tenten's 'cat with cream' grin wasn't helping.

"I didn't," Tenten teasingly sang as Hinata and Sai quietly watched the byplay.

"Then you have no idea if it's true or not," Sakura's eyes narrowed in speculation. Morning…she focussed on that detail, feeling it was important.

"Oh, I know it's true," the other girl calmly began touching up her lipstick, "It was a first hand account."

Sakura stared at her, mind whirling. First hand… as in witness? But it'd been just her and Kakashi… she couldn't see him… Her eyes widened as she remembered. Sasuke? No…he wouldn't…would he? And if so, when, because he was with Naruto at Ichiraku's in the morning, right? Rapidly calculating, she glanced at Hinata, seeing it was obviously new to her from her rapt expression. It had to be after Ino's, but not while Hinata was at Ichiraku's. And hadn't Tenten stayed to help clean up, before Ino left for the campout around noon? Morning, she thought, morning… Captivated by her expression flickering in time with her thoughts, Sai wondered what she was thinking.

Sasuke, she thought grimly, if it's true, I'm going to kill you.

"Are you sure?" her tone was carefully doubtful, "You know how gossip works in the village. Not all of it is true."

"The source is totally reliable," the other girl put away her lipstick with a pleased look, "The kind you'd bet your life on. Besides," she grinned at the other girl, "I'm not the only one the little bird told. Ino was there too." Sakura fought to digest that.

"Oh," Hinata sat up, "W-was that when you two spoke to Sasuke alone? I-I mean…" her voice died away as she realised what she'd said. Sakura blinked, horror-struck, remembering Kakashi telling Sasuke he was helping her with Ino's challenge. But…but, if he'd told her and Tenten, Kakashi and her efforts were all for nothing. That meant all she went through last night and…and… Oh, Sasuke, she thought, death is too good. You are going to rue the day!

"Well, that lets the cat out of the bag. I wasn't going to say who out of principle, but it does put things in perspective, doesn't it," Tenten commented to Hinata, as the frozen Sakura looked on, "I mean, just days ago, I'd have sworn she didn't realise Kakashi even had sex appeal. Now suddenly there's a credible witness, and the way they've been acting together all night, not to mention those unbelievably hot sexy looks between them. Talk about fast work!"

"You have to wonder," arms on the counter, chin on her hands, she stared inquisitively at Sakura, "Just how…'well'…things are going with Kakashi. That's how you put it this morning, wasn't it? Along with 'really good' and 'I can honestly say I've done things I never thought I would with him'. Yet, now I think back, there were no details. Think of the opportunity we missed! I know Ino, gossipmonger extraordinaire, was appalled to hear what Sasuke had to say. Me, I just want the full story straight from the horse's mouth. So," she motioned with one hand, "Spill it. What 'things' have you done with Kakashi? Ex-rated, I hope? And are we talking kissing… as in mask less?" As both girls looked eagerly at her, Sai, becoming aware of pain, eased his face slightly away from the door crack where he'd pressed it too tightly, hoping he wouldn't have an unexplainable bruise.

Well, Sakura thought, looking helplessly back and forth between her friends, on the plus side, her alliance with Kakashi appeared to be safe. Unfortunately, she was about to be thoroughly grilled about things that'd never happened. Good thing Ino wasn't there. With their history together, the blonde was nearly impossible to fool. As it was, she'd have to think on her feet to get through this. Maybe surviving all Kakashi's run-arounds were about to pay off. If anyone was a pro at telling all without telling anything, she mused, it was him and right now she needed to copy the Copy Nin. And later…oh, later…

It would be lesson time for Sasuke. Obviously he needed to learn the inadvisability of pissing off a medic Nin. She'd just take her time, she coldly thought, and think carefully about the perfect punishment for him. Oh, so very, very carefully indeed. Watching her from his hiding place, a sense of foreboding forced Sai to suppress a shudder.

* * *

><p>As the bartender left their drinks, Sasuke stiffened, glancing around uneasily as he sensed unexpected mortal danger. When nothing revealed itself, he rubbed the stiff hairs still standing on the back of his neck, pondering what he'd felt.<p>

"What's the matter," Naruto glanced curiously at him as they both reached for their respective glasses.

"Um, nothing," he lifted his glass, dismissing the issue as unimportant. As he sipped, he watched Naruto lift his own drink, and gave in to a mischievous impulse.

"So," Sasuke eyed his friend over the rim of his glass, "When can I expect the arrival of little Itachi? By this time next year… maybe a bit longer? Give me a hint here." He smirked as Naruto spit up his drink.

"Damn it, Teme," the blonde blushed, grabbing a napkin to clean the mess, "Are you still on about that? It's just a first date for crying out loud! Why do you keep trying to marry me off?" He dabbed at the few drops on his shirt.

"Well, you're not getting any younger, you know," the Uchiha's tone was deceptively practical.

"We're not even out of our teens yet," Naruto's blue eyes clearly asked if he was crazy, "You talk like we're a pair of old geezers." Sasuke casually sipped his drink before answering.

"Nineteen is almost middle-aged for shinobi," he pointed out, "And you never know when your luck's going to run out. You have to seize the opportunity while you can. You might not get another." The blonde's expression was surprisingly serious as he wiped the bar.

"Yeah," he finally spoke quietly, "I know that. I just... want the time to know if its right, you know. If the person I finally end up with is the right one for me and I'm right for them." He glanced up, blue eyes heartbreakingly frank, "We see enough messed up stuff for a living, a lot of it from carelessness of one type or another. I don't want to screw up my personal life by jumping before I know. It won't be just me I hurt by doing that, but a person, or people, I care about and that's… unacceptable." Sasuke uncertainly cleared his throat.

"You know I was teasing, right?" he gazed into the contents of his glass, "I'm not trying to push you into anything you're not ready for." Naruto smiled earnestly at him.

"I know," he set the used napkin aside, "But… when it came to families, I was always on the outside looking in. Making one of my own… that's something I don't want to fail at. And it's not like I have any experience to fall back on. He rubbed his nose, "I mean, I know my mom and dad loved each other, but I never got the chance to see them together, to see how the marriage thing works from the inside. What if I do it all wrong?" He stared moodily into his own glass.

"Naruto," Sasuke wryly shook his head, "Not having much experience just means you don't have much to unlearn. And I'm pretty sure it's a do as you go thing. Each relationship is unique." He smirked, thinking back to the surprising certainty in Hinata's eyes and voice as she'd spoken that morning, "Somehow, I don't think you have to worry. Remember, it takes two, so it's not like you'd be doing it alone. There'll be someone else to help you along." He had a hunch failure wouldn't be an option for her either.

* * *

><p>Yamato sat blinked incredulously at the two dogs staring hopefully back at him. When he'd found them on his doorstep, he'd naturally assumed they were there because of Kakashi, but instead of bringing a message, they'd wanted to talk <em>about<em> their master, the first of many surprises in the ensuing conversation.

"Let me get this straight," he rubbed his forehead, "You want my advice on getting Kakashi into a relationship with Sakura." He briefly wondered how such a mix-up had occurred. Kakashi had an extraordinarily close bond with all eight of his ninken. It was amazing, really, how his Sempai'd found so many startlingly intelligent dogs from so many disparate breeds, unlike the Inuzuka, who carefully bred their own. And, mistake or not, apparently this was an issue of utmost importance to them. He sighed, not looking forward to telling them the truth. Maybe, he thought, it'd be best to get a few more facts before deciding how to do so.

"So," he leaned on his knees toward them, "Tell me why you think Sakura'd be a good…um… Alpha bitch, wasn't it? And why you're sure Kakashi's interested in her." Panting happily, tails wagging, the two dogs complied and he discovered the earlier surprises had merely been the beginning. As he became increasingly intent, questioning his two visitors, he found his own mind slowly shifting, until he came to the belated and startling realization if anyone truly knew Kakashi, it was his ninken. This made it all the more likely there was something to the dogs' tale.

It also reminded him of Sai's current task, making his imminent report, and unique take on things, he reflected, something to look forward to. Finally, the dogs' story ran its course, and silence fell as they intently stared at him. Needing time to think, he decided to make tea, offering to get Pakkun and Bull snacks as he moved into the kitchen. As the water boiled, he idly watched them bolt down leftovers, his mind racing over the questions raised by what they'd said.

Was there real attraction between Kakashi and Sakura? Hearing his kettle whistle, he absently moved to take it off the stove, contemplating his Sempai. It'd be just like the man, he knew, to discount it, afraid of destroying a cherished friendship with one of his precious people. Waiting for the tea to steep, his thoughts turned toward Sakura's end of the equation. Not for the first time, he wondered why such a highly intelligent, talented and beautiful girl wasn't beating the boys off with a stick.

Well, true, she was a temperamental workaholic with a literally rock shattering right cross and had several overly zealous protectors (he admitted to being one of them). It took an extraordinarily brave and patient man to buck the odds. And didn't that coincidently describe Kakashi to a T? The more he got over his initial opposition to the idea, the more he saw the sheer potential in the match. But how could the two be persuaded (and he had no illusions, his Sempai would need industrial strength persuasion) to give it a chance? He poured a mug of tea, carrying it back to his chair, followed by the two dogs.

"Now," he got comfortable, waited as they did the same, "You said you wanted advice. Why don't you tell me what you have in mind?" he sipped his tea, "Then we can brainstorm a bit and see what we can come up with."

* * *

><p>With a quiet sigh, Sakura gave her appearance a final check as a softly smiling Hinata sat daydreaming and Tenten checked out the dispensers before leaving. It'd been a baptism by fire, but she'd pulled off it off, convinced them her act with Kakashi was reality. But, as she stared at her reflection, she could see the disappointment in her own eyes.<p>

She'd wanted it to be real. In those moments when they'd stared into each other's eyes, she'd believed it with all her heart. But was it? If there was a consummate actor, it was the Copy Nin. Over the years she'd seen him accomplish the impossible too many times to underestimate him. It was far too probable he'd been 'in character', merely playing off her 'performance', without realizing how far it'd gone until it was too late. She briefly closed her eyes, seeing again his self-consciousness when the waitress interrupted them and feeling pangs of guilt.

She'd definitely gotten too carried away and taken it too far. It reminded her of Chez Kakashi and how the he'd sat with her after he'd done the same thing. But, unlike him, instead of facing up to her mistake, she'd run away, leaving him to suffer alone. Just the thought turned the guilt pangs into raking claws and she turned away from the mirror, unable to look at herself anymore. She needed to apologise to Kakashi, she decided. She had to make it right. He was too important to her to lose because of a few stupid unrequited feelings.

"Alright, this is perfect," Tenten's animated voice broke into her thoughts, "This is the ideal memento for our dates this evening." She headed back to them, hiding something behind her back. "Are you two ready for this?" her eyes sparkled as she handed each of them an item. Sakura looked down, astonished to find she was holding a pair of edible panties, tutti frutti flavour. Hearing Hinata's gasp, she looked over to see her holding a pair extolled as chocolate. Tenten waved her own pair at them.

"And strawberry for me," she winked, adding, "No vanilla. That reminds me of 'vanilla sex' and that's just too… ordinary for this evening." She grinned conspiratorially at them, "Extra points, girls, if you get the chance to use them tonight. Oh hell," she waved her panties, "Extra points if you ever use them at all! That way I can be in the running since we all know this isn't my lucky night." Wildly blushing, Hinata giggled and Sakura bit her lip to keep from laughing. Trust Tenten to lighten the mood when you need it the most, she thought gratefully.

"Okay, do either of you have anything else you need to do," Sakura glanced from one to the other, receiving negative responses, "Then we better get back to our dates. I think we've left them alone long enough, don't you?" Taking a deep breath for courage, she led her friends out of the ladies' room.

Behind them, unnoticed, Sai cautiously looked over his stall's partition after them as the door closed. Then he vaulted over, standing for a second before striding to the dispensers to eye one in particular. Of all the reasons for an underwear dispenser, he admitted, using them as souvenirs hadn't occurred to him. He tilted his head, considering, then on impulse, made a selection and examined it briefly. For some reason it felt fitting to complete the set, he thought, carefully putting the vanilla panties away with his sketchbook. Then, warily checking the door and finding the way clear, he slipped through and was gone.

* * *

><p>Naruto watched Sasuke leave the restaurant before returning to his table. He sat for a bit, feeling sad to have missed his chance, as he'd held a secret yearn for the brooding Uchiha since that first accidental kiss. But he also deeply appreciated the hard sacrifice Sasuke'd made in the garden that afternoon. He owed it to him to honour his choice, unable to say it hadn't been the right one. He sighed, knowing he was fortunate to have such a friend.<p>

He was pulled from his thoughts by a familiar soft voice and looked up to see Hinata saying farewell to Tenten and Sakura. Just the sight of her made his face flush and he realized his reaction proved his growing attraction to her. He helped her into her seat with a welcoming grin, which she responded to with a faint blush and shy smile.

"Sakura is feeling better now," she softly informed him, "I-it was just a misunderstanding s-so I hope you weren't too hard on Kakashi-Sensei," her eyes danced mischievously at him.

"Nah," he scratched a whisker mark, admitting with a rueful grin, "I wanted to take him out to the alley, but then Sasuke made a few good points, so we wound up letting him off lightly." She nodded with enlightened understanding. She'd respected the Uchiha's loyalty in the face of Sakura's distress and wasn't surprised he'd followed up on it. It was also nice to know his level headedness had tempered her date's impulsive streak. They both glanced over to the table in question, seeing Sakura leaning toward the Jounin, talking with quiet seriousness. Then Naruto turned to her, with a serious expression of his own.

"Thanks, Hinata, for checking on her," he toyed with a fork, "I appreciate it. I know I can go a little overboard at times…" She held up her hand to forestall him.

"Naruto, she's a friend… to both of us," she smiled shyly, "I-it's not an imposition to care for a friend." The way his blue eyes lit up in agreement made her heart sing and she demurely glanced down. As she did, she saw their depleted plates, and realized her evening with him was almost over. Her throat tightened briefly in sadness.

"W-would you like to order dessert now," she softly suggested, hoping to extend her time with him.

* * *

><p>Ebisu looked up to see a vision walking toward him. He immediately rose, pulling her chair out as Tenten reached him. Sitting, she waited until he sat across from her, then reached to put touch his arm in greeting.<p>

"Did you miss me," she asked, smiling demurely at him, "I'm sorry I took so long. I met up with Hinata and Sakura and we got talking. You know how it is when girls get together." He smiled in knowing appreciation.

"Of course," he motioned for the waitress, "Shall we order?" As they waited, chatting together, he found himself hoping it took a long time to finish their final drinks, unable to face the end of a memorable evening with this charming young woman.

* * *

><p>Sakura watched her friends move off before turning to where Kakashi sat, obviously lost in thought. She briefly watched, firmly putting away the part of her that'd wished for a reality in which he'd freely return her feelings. After all, she sighed, fantasizing had gotten her in enough trouble for the night. When she'd gathered enough courage, she started determinedly forward.<p>

"Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura's voice broke into Kakashi's deliberation and he looked up to see her diffidently gazing at him. He stood, moving to pull out her chair.

"I…was beginning to think you'd run out on me, Sakura," he helped her into her seat, with a welcoming eye smile, "I think I need to talk to you." But when he sat down, turned to speak, she forestalled him with a hand gesture.

"No, I…really think this one's mine," she took a deep breath, "Kakashi-Sen… Kakashi," she began firmly, "I want to say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I mean," she leaned toward him, her green eyes serious, "Things were going great, then I got carried away, big time. But, at least that was an honest mistake. After that, when I realized what I'd done, instead of sticking around to see it through with you, I chickened out and ran away. And that was inexcusable." She closed her eyes briefly, and then met his gaze again, "I know I can't take back what I did, all I can do is ask and hope for your forgiveness." Touched by her sincerity, he found himself reaching to briefly put his hand over hers.

"Sakura, we're friends, there's nothing to forgive, even though," he wryly scratched a cheek through his mask, "I'm not quite sure what happened there for a second myself, only that," he looked cautiously at her, "Things got rather… intense… for a bit." There was a short pause as both tried to figure out how to broach the clearly sensitive matter. Sakura broke first.

"Um…I, sort of, really overdid it there, didn't I?" she face palmed, hoping to hide the lie, "And then, you played off what I was doing and…yeah, definitely overacting. Let's just leave it at that, shall we?" She looked hopefully at him and smiling in relief, he nodded agreement. He wilfully ignored the pesky little voice saying if that'd been acting he was Monkey King Enma's sainted Uncle Bob.

"So… where are we in terms of our act? Do you want to discontinue it, go on, what?" he toyed with a napkin, giving her the opportunity to back out. She surprised him by snorting irritably.

"Are you kidding?" she spoke with feeling, "I just went through hell being grilled by Hinata and Tenten," Then, she wholeheartedly glared, snarling softly, "And as for _Sasuke_…" The Jounin blinked, surprised. The Uchiha hadn't mentioned doing anything besides accidentally running into her.

"Sasuke?" he cautiously questioned as the mere mention of his name made her almost quiver with ire.

"He told Tenten and Ino this morning about…" she leaned closer, whispering, scandalized, "…last night…you know…when he caught us practicing," she leaned back with a disgusted huff, "Tenten asked me point blank what your ass felt like. Fortunately, he didn't tell them about our team up, though it took work to make certain. For a while there I thought all our efforts were wasted."

"I…thank you for saving the situation, Sakura," he forced back a snicker, "And I trust you gave my ass a good review." She looked away, biting her lip, and then, with a blushing nod, reluctantly chuckled.

"Therefore, yes, we continue, and," her tone turned slightly sour, "Try not to get carried away with our acting again. Is that all right with you?" When he nodded agreement again, she motioned to catch the waitress' attention.

"So, I was thinking… I could use a sounding board about Sasuke," her smile was predatory, "To come up with the perfect retribution for him, one he'll never forget, you know? Want to get that dessert and help me with it?"

A short time later, he watched as she devoured a chocolate brownie and ice cream drenched in chocolate syrup with gusto, while listing all the potential punishments she had for their errant team mate. Listening with morbid fascination, he felt a lone, sympathetic sweat drop glide down his temple and was heartily glad the man in the proverbial hot seat had talked him out of ticking her off himself. After all, he thought, better Sasuke than him.

* * *

><p>Sai gave his vicinity another cautious scan, before turning back to his surveillance of the three couples. He'd found a vacant bar table near the one Sasuke'd originally chased him from and was loathe to lose such a vantage point again. As it was, he'd lost enough valuable observation time while avoiding the Uchiha. He briefly wondered if the other man had left, as, so far, he'd seen no sign of him. Then he returned to his task, sketching vigorously to make up for lost time.<p>

He resolved to bring the puzzling matter of the Uchiha's behaviour up to Yamato. Perhaps he could shed a bit of light on it.

* * *

><p>Sasuke slowed, cautiously looking around as he felt the hair rise on the back of his neck again. Still seeingsensing nothing, he continued on his way, pondering the puzzle. After that initial spell while with Naruto, he'd been fine for a time. Then suddenly, on his walk home, it'd felt like he were being hit by repeating electric shocks, one after another, all with an accompanying sense of grave danger. He sighed, wondering if it was just his imagination, before dismissing it again in favour of his other problem.

He'd lost his chance with Sai. If it hadn't been for those two fan girls, he thought uncharitably and then grunted; admitting he hadn't done much better after he'd gotten rid of them. The ex-ROOT agent had slipped away right from under his nose. Well, the man's competence, he conceded, had never been part of his problem with him. It was just, in this particular situation, incredibly irritating. Would he have another opportunity before Ino's time limit ran out? And when had he become such a glutton for punishment that he'd look for a chance to be rejected? He shook his head over it all.

Perhaps it'd all look better in the morning, after a good night's sleep. He could start fresh tomorrow and see what happened. With that plan in mind he sped his steps, until another of those damn shocks hit.

What the hell was going on, he thought as he glanced irritably around again.

* * *

><p>It'd been an entertaining evening, Yamato mused, as he watched Kakashi's ninken leave. He'd always had respect for the intelligence of his Sempai's dogs, but Pakkun and Bull had managed to surprise him several times. Between the three of them, they'd worked out several possibilities to help Sakura… he suppressed a chuckle because it was still a bit mind-boggling, even after discussing it bluntly all evening… become Alpha bitch of a ninken pack, Kakashi's mate. He'd been sad to see them go, but, time had passed and they'd all agreed Kakashi and Sakura's date should be over soon. The dogs wanted to be home before their master got there, to avoid trouble.<p>

He reminded himself his evening wasn't over yet. He still had Sai's report to look forward to. Closing the door, he headed for his kitchen, planning to grab a snack and prepare more refreshments for his fellow ANBU's arrival. He had a feeling it was going to be a long, interesting tale and wanted to be prepared.

As he moved around, humming absently, his mind wandered over what he was most curious about. What had Sai made of Kakashi and Sakura's 'act'? And the other girls, how had their dates gone? Had Sai had any time for surveillance at all, he grinned to himself, with Sasuke after him? Or had the Uchiha failed to show up? So many questions… he was keen to find out the answers. He glanced again at the clock.

Well, he shouldn't have long to wait.

* * *

><p>Ebisu looked up from the delightful view of his date, reluctant to accept he was just minutes from ending his time with her. After their last drinks, they'd left the restaurant, talking, laughing, still completely engaged as they enjoyed the evening and each other. The stars shone brilliantly in the sky above, almost hidden by the light of the streetlamps. A light breeze made Tenten's ringlets shift and dance with her movements until, laughing; she had to lift a hand to tame them.<p>

Almost from when he'd first seen her at the training ground entrance, time had seemed suspended, stopped while he was with her. it was a shock to discover it'd marched on at its natural rhythm, waiting to catch them unawares. But here they stood, at her door, faced with saying goodbye. She stepped up to it, turning to face him and he decided it was just fancy, thinking her smile was a bit sad.

"I'd like to see you again," she glanced demurely down then up again, "I hope you want to see me too." Her shawl slipped off one shoulder, the illusion of vulnerability making him feel protective.

"I…I'd love that," he readily confirmed, "As soon as possible, if I may? Tomorrow, I hope?"

"And I'd love that," her vivid smile at his enthusiasm seemed a fine reward. He turned to go, his head the last thing to turn until a hand on his collar stopped him.

"Forgetting something, aren't you," her eyes were teasing as she pulled him back and down. The soft warmth of her lips brushed unhurriedly across his cheek, a series of light kisses leading toward the corner of his mouth, the final kiss, butterfly soft, brushing gently across his lips. He opened eyes he hadn't been aware he'd closed, as their sudden absence distressed him and found he was looking into her eyes. He hesitantly opened his mouth, started to say goodbye, but a finger forestalled him.

"No, not goodbye," she grinned at him, "Just… until we see each other again, right?" He blissfully smiled in agreement. She reached back, opening her door, her soft promise of, "Tomorrow then, Ebisu," and the sparkle of her eyes the last things he saw of her.

For a few seconds, he stood there, unable to take it in, then, with a sigh, he turned to go. No, he thought, regretfully, he didn't get an invitation to her bed tonight. But it was overshadowed by being able to see her again, the extra chance to enjoy her company, maybe earn that desired invitation on another night and that made him almost deliriously happy. His slow footsteps increased to a jaunty pace until he almost skipped down the street. Hands in pockets, humming in brief snatches, he eyed the streetlights, wondering if he'd be thrown in the psych ward if he dared swing around one like he'd seen in an old movie.

Tenten grinned, watching him from her apartment window until he disappeared before turning away. She was glad she'd decided to participate in Ino's game, enjoying it, and the man, far more than she thought she would. Then, practical as always, her thoughts turned to other matters. Yes, she was looking forward to tomorrow, she mused, but that didn't solve her problems tonight, did it?

She smirked recalling Sakura and Hinata's reactions when she'd put forward her evening's plans. At the time, she'd been joking but…what the hell, right? A warm bath first, she decided, and maybe a light snack. Then she could curl up in bed with Icha Icha and her little 'friend'.

* * *

><p>Hiashi loitered in the courtyard, enjoying the stars, the night sounds of birds and insects as the light breeze blew refreshingly across him. Or, at least, that was what he told himself he was doing as it was better than admitting he was waiting to see how Hinata's date went. So, he wandered, inspecting the flowers and the layout of the courtyard, any excuse to be there to see her return. It should be any time now, he thought.<p>

In his periphery, he saw a shadow detach and creep toward the courtyard door. He watched its progress for a time, mentally matching what features he could make out before finally identifying the culprit.

"Hanabi," he sighed, moving in intercept her. So intense was her concentration, his hand on her shoulder was a total surprise. She jumped, yelping, swinging around to face him in a defensive crouch until recognition made her straighten self-consciously.

"Oh…um…hello, Father," she gulped, straightening her robe and he noted the pyjamas she wore under it. He sighed again.

"On your way to bed, Hanabi?" he asked dryly, wondering why she wasn't already there.

"I was…just waiting to say goodnight to Hinata," she fiddled nervously with her robe tie, "Like I always do."

"Really… I wasn't aware it was a nightly habit of yours," as he recalled, she usually avoided everything to do with bed, including saying goodnight. He gave her a keen look and she fidgeted but kept her silence. They eyed each other wondering who would break first, until an inadvertent third party broke the deadlock with the sound of rushing footsteps culminating in a startled "Oh," causing father and daughter to turn toward the intruder.

"Ah, good evening, Neji," Hiashi called in greeting, as Hanabi frowned, "Are you here to take in the beauty of the night, or did you come to say goodnight to Hinata too." His nephew looked back and forth between them, and then shook it off to address his uncle.

"Did you know what one of the elders did?" he scowled critically, "I heard he sent some clan members to interfere in Hinata's date." Hiashi's brows lowered as he considered.

"It couldn't have succeeded," he pointed out, "Otherwise Hinata would already be home and upset. But I'll look into the matter, now that I know of it," he promised. And, remembering the elder from earlier, he had a good idea where to start, he mused as Neji sighed in relief.

"I still can't believe you approve of Naruto," Hanabi's expression clearly said they were crazy. The two men looked at her.

"You'd be better off hoping he's as lenient when you start dating," her cousin wryly pointed out. Hiashi hid a smirk at her expression. But, before he could tease her, the sound of laughter floated over the courtyard wall and three sets of byakugan activated to investigate.

"It's them," Neji urgently looked around at them.

"They'll see us," Hanabi yelped, "What'll we do?" Hiashi, inadvertently caught up in their panic, grabbed both and hauled them into a familiar-looking flowering bush, before he realized what he'd done. Too late to reconsider, he sighed, deciding they'd have to make the best of it, giving his two unlikely co-conspirators a terse warning against inadvertently rustled the foliage too loudly this time, as the faint voices continued to drift on the night breeze.

* * *

><p>"You've been interested in me for that long?" Naruto was amazed, "Why didn't you say anything? I mean, I never knew," he shook his head as they approached the Hyuuga compound, trying to grasp she'd liked him since their Academy years.<p>

"I know," Hinata glanced down, "I…w-wasn't very confident as a child. I think…I was afraid of being rejected." He felt his heart hurt just thinking about it.

"Hinata, I'd never have done that," she'd been in his corner for years, he mused, secretly rooting for him… and he'd never known, "Hell," he rubbed the back of his neck, "At that age, I would've loved just having a friend." A thought occurred and blue eyes lit up as he grinned at her.

"Does this mean you've always been my fan girl?" she blushed, and then nodded, giggling behind her hand, as he burst out laughing, "I always thought Sasuke was the only one with fan girls in our class. The things you learn when you're not expecting to, right?" As she smiled at his laughter, Hinata felt multiple byakugan quickly activate, then deactivate in the compound. Turning slightly away from Naruto, she did the same as her own, almost stopping in her tracks at what she saw.

Had that really been her father…pulling Neji and Hanabi into one of the flowering bushes? She blinked realizing it was the same bush from earlier. She'd originally thought it'd been only Hanabi in it, but now…Neji and her father? Before she could reflect on it, Naruto's arm distracted her by sliding around her waist as he drew her in to his side in a gentle hug.

"Thanks, Hinata," his blue eyes looked sincerely into hers, "For being there, even if I didn't know it at the time. It really means a lot." Under that gaze, all thoughts of her wayward family and the bush faded away, leaving only him. Even under the poor illumination of the streetlamps, she thought faintly, his eyes were so incredible, so blue, warm and alive with emotion.

"Y-you're w-welcome,' she blushed, still lost in them as they reached the courtyard door. He guided her through and a couple of yards inside before stopping, his other hand sliding around her waist as well as they stood facing each other. She glanced demurely down, surprised to find her hands on his chest, fingers fitfully clenching his shirt. She looked back up, to see if he minded, only to be captured again, as her heart suddenly hammered in her chest.

"S-so," he stammered, blushing, blue eyes intense, "D-do you want to meet tomorrow? For l-lunch…o-or a walk…maybe b-both?"

"I-I'd love that," he was adorable like this, she thought faintly, "A-at Ichiraku's…at n-noon? Is t-that alright?" She couldn't believe he wanted to see her again so soon. It seemed almost otherworldly, she thought, like a dream coming true.

"Yeah," it came out on a relieved gasp, as if he'd been holding his breath, afraid she'd refuse. She smiled, knowing the sincere feeling in those eyes would've been impossible to turn down. For a few more moments they continued to gaze into each other's eyes.

"I-I guess I'd better…" he hesitantly began to slide his hands from her waist, to step back. Only to find his head unexpectedly pulled down by the two hands on his shirt so warm, soft lips could meet his in a kiss. His hands instinctively returned to her waist, pulling her firmly against him as he leaned in to return it.

Time stretched as their lips moved tentatively at first, then more boldly, parting as they were traced by tongue tips that then met delicately, almost shyly. Only lack of breath finally forced them to part and, her forehead against his cheek, they stood dazed and gasping. He could feel her trembling, could feel an answering tremor in his own belly. Gradually, their grips on each other eased until they stepped away, their eyes locking.

"S-so, tomorrow then," blushing, Naruto began to reluctantly back away, toward the courtyard door, eyes flicking away only to return to her. Hinata watched him go, only the promise of seeing him again making the growing distance between them less of a misery.

"Yes," she sighed softly, "T-tomorrow." Reaching the door, his eyes on her, he miscalculated, slammed his back into it, bounced hard off it, and then disappeared as he stumbled through, making her giggle. She waited a few seconds more before turning to go with a sigh, nearly floating along the path, humming dreamily as fingers absently traced her lips, reliving her evening and looked forward to more time with Naruto with faraway eyes.

"Goodnight, Father… Neji…Hanabi," her soft voice absent-mindedly sang as she passed a certain flowering bush.

* * *

><p>"No, even with Sasuke's interference, I'd say your surveillance was a success," Yamato reassured Sai. After the last couple left the restaurant, the young ANBU had immediately headed for his place, bringing, as he'd hoped, a report full of surprises. And what surprises! He'd been hard pressed at times, holding back his reactions, not just in the interests of maintaining a little dignity. More like self defence, as rolling on the floor laughing hysterically would elicit a torrent of questions from the curious young agent.<p>

He rubbed his lips, regretting the necessity of following doctor's orders. After all, look what he'd missed. He'd have given anything to be there for Tenten's battle for Ebisu or to see Sai being chased by Sasuke, inadvertently into the ladies' room of all places. And he'd have paid to be the fly on the wall, while Sai listened to the girls. Yes, he was sure Sai's report, accurate as it was, wasn't nearly as entertaining as actually being there to see for himself.

Then there was the matter of Kakashi and Sakura. He knew Sai had problems understanding normal interaction, but he'd noticed it made him question details others, even he himself, would dismiss. This meant, despite knowing beforehand the date was an act, he'd been as diligent with them as he had the other couples. The questions he'd posed about them lent credence to the ninkens' claims. After hearing both, he knew he'd be carefully watching his Sempai when they eventually talked about that portion of the report.

As to the other two girls, beyond the scuffle over Ebisu (started by the civilian, not Tenten) as a whole their dates had gone well, with both girls playing fair. Really, in Tenten's case, he had to give credit where due. She'd been against taking advantage of Ebisu, even though it'd have been to her benefit in the game. As for Hinata, it was obvious this wasn't a game to her. From the sound of it, her pursuit of Naruto had been a dearly held dream for years before this challenge spurred her resolve. All in all, he wished them well, hoping both girls got what they wanted, whether it was simple experience or a lasting relationship.

And that brought him again to the vision of Sai trapped in the ladies' room. He regarded the young man sitting across from him. Of course, he hadn't the advantage of knowing the Uchiha'd been there expressly to look for him. This meant what he'd seen as puzzling behaviour on Sasuke's part, Yamato saw in a vastly different light. He lifted his mug, sipping as he envisioned it.

What a game of cat and mouse! He could almost feel Sasuke's frustration, he mused, when he read between the lines. To have to endure, not one but two, attacks by persistent fan girls, within spitting distance of his true objective. Then to chase his mouse down, only to find he'd escaped from under his very nose. And what a surprisingly entertaining mouse hole Sai'd found to hide in. And on that note…

"The only detail I can criticize is your presumption of Sasuke's reasons for pursuing you," time to put the cat among the pigeons a little, Yamato thought, ignoring the species inconsistency, "How do you know he wanted a confrontation? He was trying to escape the unwanted attentions of two relentless women. Don't you think that might account for his aggravated mood?" Sai tilted his head as he thought it over.

"It's possible," he finally admitted, "Though, considering our histories, I'm probably the last person he'd choose to willingly associate with. You are aware of the continuing… prejudice many of my old compatriots have for him." He sipped from his own mug, his face devoid of expression.

"It's obvious he's aware of it also. I know it's influenced how we deal with each other. And I confess to not being able to find a way to overcome this. I believe this makes the chance of so sudden a reversal," he peered into his mug, "Unlikely, at best, don't you?" Yamato drank, as he considered him.

Most people found ex-ROOT agents strange, not understanding how Danzo's training had forced them to close down their emotions out of sheer survival. They appeared not to have emotions at all, unable at times to understand even their own. As a consequence, their body language tended to be so subtle it was almost non existent. But, after spending ample time with Sai, he'd found, with enough familiarity and patience, it was possible to read him. Where anyone else saw him as a confident, yet eccentric young man, Yamato could plainly see his moments of terrible vulnerability. Like now, when it was clear his young friend was enduring genuine emotional distress over his estrangement with the Uchiha.

He knew what Sai's bonds with the other Team Seven members meant to him. Much like Naruto, they were the closest thing to family he'd known, other than his tie with Shin. Their acceptance, despite his social awkwardness, had given him the strength to weather many hardships, not just those limited to Danzo's legacy. On a very private level, any rift between him and the other team members would be agonizing to him, posing a possible hazard to his wellbeing.

On an entirely different level, it was a potential professional risk. Yes, he could understand how suspicion could exist between him and Sasuke, but in their profession explicit trust in your comrades could be the only thing able to save you. It occurred to him, if this was a chance to remedy the situation between the two young men, it had to be taken, for both their sakes.

"Unlikely isn't the same as impossible," he pointed out, "The fact is: You don't know the facts. You didn't give him the chance to show what his true intentions were. You surmised from what you knew," he lifted a finger to delay the question he could see in Sai's eyes, "And I'm not saying you were wrong. But who's to say an event you've yet to find out about hasn't changed the situation? It wouldn't be the first time that's happened." He gave him time to mull it over as he continued to drink.

"So you believe I was wrong to avoid him," Sai said slowly, "Even though a conflict might've jeopardised my surveillance of the others?"

"Not necessarily. I can see your reasoning," he chose a cheese topped roll from the tray between them, "You chose what you thought was best for the mission objective. But Sasuke is also part of that objective. What you did was probably the right thing, considering you had multiple people under surveillance. It is unfortunate you missed the opportunity Sasuke might've presented, and I think, if you have a second chance, you should take it. If it results in a disagreement, at least you'll find out what's on his mind." He gestured with the roll, "And there's always the chance you might be pleasantly surprised." He bit into it, giving the young agent time to consider.

* * *

><p>Despite her firm resolve to ignore that wishful part of her, Sakura found it harder than she'd thought. The close physical contact with Kakashi necessary to keep up appearances was guaranteed to provoke the very longing and fantasies she was trying to avoid. Even now, she savoured the feel of his body against hers as they walked with arms around each other's waists. She found herself glancing up furtively, watching his profile, only to look away before meeting his eye. When she caught herself making vague plans to avoid their eventual parting, she realized it was because she'd find the loss of his presence painful. That she dearly wanted him to stay with her. It left her hiding an indefinable sadness as they walked.<p>

"Sakura," his voice was careful, "Are you alright? You seem… preoccupied." She looked up to meet the concern in his eye, smiling gamely.

"I suppose I am," she glanced around the street with a sigh, "I guess…I was having so much fun tonight, it seems a shame to end it, that's all."

"I enjoyed tonight too," he confessed, quietly clarifying, "I enjoyed being with you, tonight," it was his turn to look away, "Perhaps…we can do it again, sometime…just as friends…if you want?" She gave him a searching look. He'd sounded so tentative, she thought, like he was afraid she'd take offence or refuse.

"I think…I'd like that," love it, long for it, and him, she thought. She caught sight of her apartment ahead and felt her heart clench. Greatly daring, she gently eased her head until it rested against his shoulder, trying to console herself. Feeling its weight, he looked down at the crown of her head, watching the light evening breeze gently tousle her curls, undone by her artlessness and suddenly aware of a subtle pressure in his chest. Reluctant to disturb her, he opened his mouth soundlessly a few times, false starts, before finally speaking.

"You know…we still have to fool Ino," he watched her building loom closer; "I believe Iruka's class is due back tomorrow…um…around the same time school usually gets out. That'd be what…3, 4 pm in the afternoon?" She briefly closed her eyes, not sure if she was thankful or sad at the topic change.

"Yes," she cast her eyes down, watching their feet bring them closer to leave-taking, "I-I think that's about right. I wonder what shape Ino's going to be in by then? Wouldn't it be annoying," her quiet laugh felt at odds with the ache in her heart, "If after all this work, she was too tired to notice?" Did his answering chuckle have a poignant undertone, she wondered, or was it just… imagination?

"I…think we should meet early tomorrow," he cleared his throat, "We'll need to refine our routine before she gets back. Decide what our next performance will be." They paused in front of her building, reluctantly moving apart as Kakashi opened the door and gestured for her to precede him.

"It needs to be good," she turned back to watch him follow her in, "We've known each other for so long, she'll be much harder sell than Tenten or Hinata." Voices heralded the approach of others, and, before they appeared, Kakashi immediately moved to her side, slipping his arm around her. Sakura's face faintly flushed, surprised at how much she'd missed his embrace, even for so brief a time as he ushered her toward the elevator. He pressed her floor number as they entered, waiting for the doors to close before glancing down at her.

"Would meeting here be alright with you?" he studied her closely, "at 9 am, perhaps? That'll give us several hours before Ino gets back." She tilted her head slightly away from him, hiding her reaction to him under the guise of pretending to examine the control panel as she considered.

"That'll be fine," she looked up as the doors opened on her floor, "That should give us plenty of time." He walked her to her door, feeling a faint undertone of melancholy between them as they neared her door. He watched her unlock and open it.

"So," she turned to him, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." He couldn't leave like this, not with that sad trace in the atmosphere.

"Why, Sakura," his eye curved into a smile, trying to dispel it with mischievous humour, "Do I rate that badly? I thought we had a great first date. And I know we had a lot of fun together. So, don't I get a kiss goodnight?" Serious green eyes regarded him in silence.

Then, with a soft smile, she stepped up to him, rising on her toes. Grasping a handful of his shirt, she pulled him down to her level. With eyes still on his, she gently pressed her lips to the general area of his lips. He instinctively leaned into it, reminded he hadn't replaced his genjutsu 'mask' by the feel of skin on skin, as pliant warmth minutely adjusted until their lips firmly fit together. Then time stopped, the world condensed to only the two of them and she became his entire reality.

Her soft lips glided wonderfully on his as her alluring scent enveloped him, her beguiling green eyes drifting languorously closed and he thrilled at the sensuality in her expression. He was dimly aware of holding her, pressing her into him as his head tilted to gain more access. The kiss deepened, to the feel of fingers tangled in his hair, the compulsive tightening of her fist in his shirt, her trembling body flush against his. His hands lazily caressed her back and she moaned into his mouth. Tongues gently touched, entwined, then fought desperately to memorize every detail of the other. Shirt buttons popped, flying away in his periphery unnoticed as he eagerly explored a world called Sakura.

A soft gasp further down the hall brought them back to the real world. Back to where he'd pushed her into the door frame as their knees weakened, on the brink of sinking downward together. To where Sakura's 90 year old neighbour was ogling them with amusement from her doorway. He staggered slightly before catching his balance as Sakura, with a faint "eep" pushed him back with overly hasty strength. Blushing hotly, she turned toward the elderly woman with a feeble smile.

"Um… Mrs. Kimchee…we were…we'd… just…" she stammered to a halt, unable to think of any explanation for their behaviour. In the following silence her anxious eyes flicking back and forth between the elderly woman and Kakashi.

"I…think I'd better leave," eye glued on Sakura, he found himself wondering what'd just happened for the second time that night. Mrs. Kimchee's grin widened as she appreciatively looked him up and down.

"Oh, don't do it on my account, dear," she waved a carefree hand, "By all means, go back to what you were doing." She cheerfully leered at them, "After all, you're only young once, you know. So, I'll just say…goodnight," she backed into her apartment, "Sleep tight," began to ease the door slowly closed, "And don't let the bedbugs bite," and with an final wink, smirk and insinuating murmur, "Unless…you want him to," she was gone as Sakura face palmed with a muttered, "Oh, god."

"Retired kunoichi," her explanation was almost a groan. "Well, we wanted to fool Ino with gossip. Mrs. Kimchee will have this all over the marketplace by breakfast tomorrow," she regarded the other door thoughtfully, "I think she's got contacts in the rumour mill ANBU and T&I would envy."

"And you know this, how?" he grasped the opportunity to distance them from what'd happened. She shrugged helplessly, silently acknowledging and following his lead, as she turned back to her own apartment, unable to quite meet his eyes.

"She's come out with things I'd swear no one but Tsunade or other top people would know," she waved off his sudden concern, "Not the 'slit your throat before revealing' stuff. Just…details about people and situations you wouldn't expect. And she doesn't talk to just anyone. I seem to be on her 'approved' list, but even then, I don't think she tells me everything." She absently played with her handbag, and then finally raised her eyes to meet his. "Anyway…if we've got hours of practice tomorrow, I'd better get some rest," she stepped in, turning to close her door, with a quiet, "Goodnight, Kakashi."

"Goodnight, Sakura," he wondered why he felt so bereft. He moved away slowly, reluctantly, looking back several times until the elevator doors closed, shutting off the view of her door. On the way down, he found himself fingering his lips, reliving that kiss and firmly shook himself.

If he went home like this, the pack wouldn't let him hear the end of it. They'd see it as proof of their cockamamie claim he wanted Sakura as his 'mate'. He sighed, knowing he'd need to be calm and collected to deal with their nonsense and, at the moment, he was anything but.

Briefly he considered going to Tenzou's, to talk over Sai's report, but his Kohai would sense his current distraction. He'd be getting enough questions tonight from the dogs. He exited the apartment building, pausing on the sidewalk in front to look around before choosing a direction at random. A good long walk, he decided, and then a good night's rest was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Association brought Sakura to mind again and he firmly put hands in pockets to keep his fingers away from the phantom feel of her kiss. Obviously she'd seen Mrs. Kimchee before he had and quickly taken the opportunity the elderly woman offered vis-à-vis Konoha's gossip grapevine. That was the only explanation, he told himself. He was fourteen years her senior and had over four times her experience, with his thirtieth year as a shinobi looming on the horizon. What would a beautiful, talented girl see in a battered wreck like him, especially one who'd surely seen him at his worst far too many times?

He shook his head glumly, unable to deny the pull she'd had on him three times in one night, still feeling its lingering touch, yet burdened with the fear of losing her. And that's what he'd risk if he dared take it further. He wouldn't betray her like that, by trying to change their friendship into something else, risk one of his precious people over feelings she surely didn't return. When memories of the two incidents replayed in his mind, calling up inconsistencies pointing to a different conclusion, the possibility she might, he firmly dismissed them as wishful thinking. As his own desires skewing his analysis of her actions, her true feelings, making him see what he wished to.

He paused, glancing around him, vaguely surprised by how far he'd travelled. Looking up into the star filled night sky; he was reminded of wishes and shook his head. He thought of the dreams he'd surely have featuring Sakura tonight and grimaced. He shouldn't look forward to them, but the thought of being with her, even if only in a dream…

He had a feeling he'd be walking for a long time tonight. Picking another direction at random, he started off again.

* * *

><p>"Okay," Uhei glanced over at his pack mate as they bounded over the rooftops, "This is where we part. You go home and tell the rest the news. I'll shadow him until he heads for home, and then go ahead to beat him there." The long legged ninken panted happily, thinking about the information about to be shared with the others.<p>

"Right," Urushi pealed off, jumping to another roof and angling toward home. Uhei skidded to a halt, briefly watching him, whining softly, wishing he could be there to learn what stage their plans were at.

When Pakkun reported the Boss' notable reaction to Sakura, the whole pack had leapt into planning mode, intent on fulfilling their pack leader's desires. This suffered a hold-up when the problem of human unpredictability was raised. While Pakkun and Bull had sought advice on the matter from one of the Boss' human friends, he and Urushi, as the two fastest ninken, had been sent to keep tabs on the couple in case there were more developments. Uhei was dying to know if the other two had been successful and how it'd affected their strategy.

And talk about developments, the red dog thought, shaking his bandaged head as he dashed off. He'd been undecided, watching the couple returning to Sakura's as their mating aroma had been heavily polluted with sadness and uncertainty. But, just as he'd begun to doubt Pakkun's earlier assertions, he and Urushi'd nearly had their noses blasted off by the pheromones. A few minutes later, the Boss had reappeared, stinking of sexual frustration and bewilderment to begin walking. The two dogs had followed for a time before deciding to split, one to continue on, while the other reported.

The evening breeze brought Kakashi's scent to the dog's busy nose. Yep, he panted happily, the Boss was still hot and bothered. He had a feeling he'd be following him for a long time tonight. Making sure he was downwind and concealed, the big dog continued his assignment.

* * *

><p>Sakura finally lifted her head from where her arms had pillowed it on her knees. She'd only waited, with her back against her door, for the sound of elevator doors closing before sliding down to sit shaking on the floor, unable to believe what she'd done.<p>

She'd kissed him. She'd kissed Kakashi. And he'd kissed her back.

And what a kiss! Her fingers shakily caressed where his lips had plundered hers, still able to evoke the ghostly feel of it. She remembered the hardness of his body against hers, felt the paths traced by his hands on her back and released a shuddering breath. She might've been able to dismiss it as a dream, she mused, but from the feel of it, she was going to have bruises from being pressed against the door jam.

She thought back to her tale spinning in the ladies' room and weakly shook her head. Boy, had she got it wrong! The real thing made her best creative efforts look like…like… She shivered, unable to think of a comparison good enough to express the overwhelming difference.

Kami the man could kiss!

Deciding she'd sat on the floor long enough, she tried to lever herself up, taking a couple of tries before succeeding due to the weakness of her knees. She staggered into her kitchen, using chairs, table and counters, even walls as support to reach the sink and a cold drink to wet her parched throat. Then, cup still in hand, she eased herself into a chair, staring in bemusement around her apartment, experiencing a time disparity. It seemed so much different than when she'd left it with Kakashi. It felt like she'd been absent for ages, instead of only a few hours. Of course, a lot had happened in those few hours. A lot had happened right outside her door.

Sweet Kami on a polka dotted _mule_ the man could kiss!

With a groan, she let her head fall onto the table. All those sexy dreams she'd been having lately about Kakashi…they were about to suffer a massive upgrade in content. She wasn't sure if she'd survive the experience. And, hell, if she couldn't survive a mere dream, what would happen if she and Kakashi ever really…

Her brain staggered to a halt as Inner Sakura went into total meltdown, doing a wild striptease while frantically chanting OHGODOHGOD_OHGOD_YESYES_YES_GOD_YES_KAKASHI-SENSEIYES_PLEASE_! She lifted her head, shaking it hard to dispel the image. Stop it, she told herself, get a grip. It didn't matter what she thought, what her feelings were, there was one indisputable fact she couldn't afford to forget here.

It wasn't real.

No matter how much she wanted it to be, it wasn't reality. He'd likely seen Mrs. Kimchee and played up to their audience, making sure they looked like a couple embarking on a sexual relationship. Just like earlier, at the restaurant, it was all an act, carried out with consummate skill. Her heart, soaring just a moment ago, sank into the ground at her feet at the comprehension.

She sat there for a while, letting it sink in. Then, with a weary sigh, she rose from her chair. Heading tiredly toward a warm bath, she paused in her bedroom doorway, catching the scent of roses. Her eyes were sadly reflective as fingers lightly traced her lips for a final time. Then, firmly putting it away, she went about her business, refusing to think about Kakashi's arrival in the morning…

And how much harder it would be, to act like nothing had changed between them, when she knew to the depths of her heart and soul… everything had.

* * *

><p>The deafening silence was broken only by the crackle of the fire behind her and a single distant cricket. Ino stood, rigid in mortification, as everyone, slack jawed and motionless, stared at her. Her eyes involuntarily sought Iruka to find him gazing back, eyes wide and jaw sagging, his clipboard dangling forgotten at his side. The agonizing scene stretched for a few more seconds, then…<p>

"THAT WAS SO AWESOME!"

The camp exploded in a chaos of kids' voices. Iruka started and then blinked, his mouth snapping shut as he winced at the sheer volume. The boys were loudest, laughing and shouting in delight, gesturing wildly at each other and Ino as they excitedly jumped around. The girls gleefully threw appalled glances at her as they giggled and whispered together.

"WHOA!"

"YEAH!"

"Do it again!"

"Did you see that? That was GREAT!"

"Ew…."

"I can't believe she did that…"

Ino, cheeks burning, stood stiffly in the insanity, her agonized eyes locked on Iruka. She watched his face undergo a series of small twitches and wished she knew a jutsu that would let her disappear. Instead, a rapidly growing sensation in her bowels hinted she was in for further humiliation. Surreptitiously, she began to inch carefully away from the fire.

"Iruka-Sensei, can we try it too?"

"No!" the teacher's loud response to the inevitable question was instant and automatic. Tearing his gaze from Ino's, Iruka bit his lip, rubbing his scar as he inspected the mayhem. He didn't turn back to her until he'd regained a fragile control.

"Um…Ino…why don't you check on the sentries? Perhaps run a perimeter check? While I deal with this…" he managed in a reasonably even tone. He turned away, brandishing his clipboard, intent on restoring order, calling out names in a series of instructions and rebukes.

"Hotaru, Miyoko help Souza clear up the mess around the campfire. Daichi, Shinako, secure our food for the night, now. Yasuo, Osamu, if you've got energy to jump around yelling, you can use it to get more firewood. Kenchiro, Isamu …" he continued to call names, motioned several kids over, resolutely scanning his clipboard, carefully not looking in her direction.

"Why's she walking like that?" Isamu's baffled whisper and Guremaru's equally confused whine caught Iruka's attention. Involuntarily he look up, following the young Inuzuka's puzzled gaze to Ino. Astonished, he observed her moving toward the camp's edge, her casual manner at odds with her peculiar walk. Unconscious habit honed by supervising children who routinely used deadly weapons immediately made him evaluate her for the reason. It didn't take long to realize her small, crabbed steps were due to the way she was tightly clenching her buttocks and restricting her knee movements with each stride. He quickly wrenched his eyes back to his clipboard. He took a moment, biting his lip for control, then breathed deeply and continued.

"Isamu, take Guremaru on a run around the camp perimeter. Pay close attention to any new scent, track or other sign that may be suspicious. Start over there on the other side and work your way around," hearing a groan, Iruka aimed a stern look at the boy. "For an Inuzuka, this is a constant mission responsibility. Everyone's safety can rely on your senses. So get used to making it second nature now - before the lives of your future team mates depend on you."

"Yes, Iruka-Sensei. Come on Guremaru," Isamu turned to hike across the camp, his pup eagerly dancing around him. As Iruka continued to give out assignments, he found he was involuntarily keeping track of Ino's strange progress in his periphery vision. Every glimpse was a severe challenge to his control. He dug deep, urgently trying to maintain until she was safely out of camp.

* * *

><p>AN: Well that was a very long one, wasn't it? At least now you know why it took so long. I think we deserve lots of wonderful feedback for this one, lol! So come on people, get reviewing!

P.S – Please ignore Tazicat12's claim on Kakashi. He's _mine_, you hear me. MINE!

She can have Iruka! :)


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